


sweet disposition

by cheshirebottom



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, Classics, F/M, Fetus Direction, Fetus Harry Styles, Fetus Louis Tomlinson, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Growing Up Together, Hidden Relationship, Living Together, M/M, Secret Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 14:42:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 70,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17388287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheshirebottom/pseuds/cheshirebottom
Summary: in which harry and louis are secretly married, and they're definitely good at hiding it. only because they pretend that they don't know each other where there are audiences though, that is. good thing perrie is always there for them through ups and downs, ready to mend their sad hearts. they're pretty thankful for a best friend like her.♡classics, 2013





	1. part one: jealous harry 💞

**Author's Note:**

> this is basically what i call a childish fic. lol. pardon me, i was really young and naive when i wrote this. but many of my readers keep on coming back to this fic to reread and reread and idk, basing from their feedback, they just couldn't get enough of it! so for the first time, i'm sharing it here on ao3. so. enjoy :-) ♥
> 
> © 2013 by Lou Grant
> 
>  **ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.** No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.
> 
> **_This is Lou Grant's property. Do not steal. Purely fictional._ **
> 
> _just to make it clear, this fic was made back in 2013, polished in 2015, and reposted today in 2019. this is technically a classic, considering the plot is kind of fetus-ish, sometimes even carroty. so if you want to reminisce on those kind of plots, you are more than welcome to read this one right here. and no, it's not that bad at all. you'll see :)_

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**O n e:** _Jealous Harry_

 _ September 19, 2009 _ _/ 5 months after Louis and Harry's epic reckless getaway marriage_

💘💘💘

Harry, already dressed in his school uniform with the complete set of blazer, tie, curly hair already brushed and styled--everything--storms out of his and Louis' bedroom to go straight to where Perrie is. He wraps both his arms around her when he spots her by the kitchen and buries his face at the crook of her neck, frown plastered on his young face, lip bitten, and hands shaking.

Harry sobs and lets out whatever it is he's been trying hard to hold back for the last twenty-eight hours, since the awful thing happened.

He's upset about something... or particularly with his other half, and he's been upset since yesterday when Louis had let this certain lass from their school flirt unbashedly with him--while Harry was around, that is, watching everything unfold before him, had got nothing to do about it.  _That bastard Louis_ , Harry begrudgingly thinks, sniffling, brushing his nose against Perrie's uniform sleeve. Great. How attractive.

"Hey... what is it, babe?" Perrie asks softly, almost cooing at his ear, rubbing his back to soothe him. Harry doesn't say anything for a moment and just continues to cry against her shoulder. Perrie turns her head to look at Louis, who is having tea by the kitchen table and is looking rather comfortable considering the state his boy is at, and then pointedly glares at him. "What did you do this time, Louis? Why is Harry so upset?"

Louis shrugs, a blank look on his face, sipping on his tea. "Nothing, Pez. He's just--I don't know. He just got jealous over something petty is all. Nothing big, really," he tells her calmly, "you don't have to worry that much to be honest."

Perrie looks at him as though he's being absurd right now. Which, yeah, he is actually. And before she starts scolding him, Harry beats her to that. The sobbing boy lifts his head up and glares at Louis, tears at the brims of his eyes, all rosy cheeks and trembling lips. "You just let her flirt with you, Lou! You bloody loved it too! You liked all the attention! I hate you!" With that all recklessly abandoned, Harry storms out the kitchen to go for his shoes by the living room of their flat. He flops down on the couch and puts on his socks while he lets his tears fall and blurry his visions.

He doesn't care. Let Louis know just how sad he is.

Perrie stays behind at that, doesn't follow Harry out--to lecture Louis about stuff again, perhaps, like she usually does--which, thankfully, she never gets tired to, despite everything.

See, Harry is a mess when it comes to jealousy. He gets jealous easily, and what Louis did (or Tessa, the girl who's flirted with Louis) yesterday, made Harry feel so damn upset that he wanted to maybe, pull at Tessa's hair and be like,  _that's my husband you're wrapping your too-skinny-for-your-own-good arms, you little minx!_ or just be, for the sake of it, sassy with her and kick her in the shin because what the hell, that was Louis she was hitting on! (Like, despite Harry would never hurt a girl. Ever.)

Well, of course Harry didn't do that. He didn't want his and Louis' lives pushed to the edge, that's why. But yeah, that was what Harry would've done only if they are out in public--his and Louis' relationship to be quite specific.

Instead though, Harry had just taken a deep breath that time, turned around, walked away and ran his way home, not bothering to look back even when he'd heard Louis calling out for him that late afternoon. It was to what: maybe apologize to him? Or hug him? Or kiss him? He didn't know, didn't get the chance to know. But that's what's happened yesterday, and Harry, again, is a jealous mess, so he flipped and ran off. Just like that.

Thing is, Harry Styles simply doesn't share, no, he's awfully bad at it, and well, he's pretty much had had it bad for Louis ever since--even when they were only thirteen and fifteen--and thus he hurts fast whenever somebody's trying to take Louis away from him. (Or so he thinks that Louis' just letting himself be taken away from him though, and no it's never like that. Harry's just really small-minded as of now as is.)

That's because Louis is Harry's. Period.

Louis is no one else's but Harry's.

No one must put their filthy hands around Louis' shoulders, that's a big no. Only Harry can. Again, because Louis is his. As selfish as that sounds, but Louis has been his since '07--had been officially his since summer '09--and now they aren't just some fluke or boyfriends or an item, but they are indeed husbands.  _Married, for fuck's sake_ , and so he wants Louis for himself and himself only. He's selfish when it comes to Louis or just anything that is Louis-related.

It's pretty crazy, yes, but that's how things are now ever since they got married, and there's no turning back anymore.

Perrie sighs, scratching at the back of her neck. She's about to go to school minutes from now and well, how could she ever leave these two like this? Fighting and hurting, crying their hearts out (well, make that Harry crying his heart out.)

She can't just do that and everybody in their flat knows she won't anyway. So, she walks forward to sit on one of the chairs around the kitchen table to talk to Louis. "Lou," she drawls, almost sounding lazy and tired. "What's with all this? Talk to me. Who was this that's made Harry jealous?"

Louis looks at Perrie for a brief moment, sinking in what she's said, and then heaves out a sigh, finally telling her, "Tessa. At school. This popular girl there that's hitting on me. That's what Harry's been jealous about. Happy now, Pezza?"

Perrie narrows her eyes at him, deeply unimpressed. She's got her arms crossed against her chest. "Really. Well, what did you do then?"

"I let her put her arms around me," Louis mumbles, "because... I don't know what to do at the time, Pez, really, I didn't know how to get her off me. She's so fucking stubborn, and if I'd unleash myself from her, she might--she  _might_ just suspect things, you know? And you know what, she's pretty fucking popular at school. She might spread some rumors about me pushing her off me, and then she will use that against me. And... and I am afraid that she'd use that against Harry too. Like, in the future when we... when we finally come out. And well, I don't want that. No way! Not my Harry. So, like... I let her."

Perrie's left brow is raised, side-eying Louis loads despite his obviously sincere ramblings. "And you just let Harry's heart break at some point, yeah? Watching her flirting with you and all. Hmm?"

Louis swallows, looking down at his empty cup of tea. "No... I... I..."

"You  _do_  realise that's what's happened, right? Because if not, then Harry wouldn't be bawling his eyes out right now, right?"

Louis sighs again, closing his eyes now as he plays with his ring on his forefinger. "Yeah... okay. It's my fault. I didn't do anything to keep him from getting jealous--from getting hurt. Okay, I get it. I'm sorry."

Perrie tilts her head to the side, blue eyes bright and pursed lips pink, all attention directed to Louis' suddenly small posture in front of her. "You shouldn't be apologising to me, babe. You should be apologising to your husband. Like, right now."

Louis looks up from his cup and stands up, biting his lower lip. "Yeah, yeah... I know."

"Go ahead then," Perrie encourages, smiling fondly now and no longer furious. She waves her hand in a dismissive way. "I'm sure he'll forgive you right away."

Louis nods, smiling at Perrie. "I know my baby will. Thanks, Pez."

"Sure, sure," Perrie says nonchalantly. "Now,  _go_."

Louis leans over and pecks Perrie's forehead. "You go ahead too, sorry for keeping you, school's probably calling your name. I'll bring Harry with me, no worries."

Perrie grins, and then she stands up from the chair. "Right."

Louis heads to the living room as he straightens his uniform and tie, shoving one hand in his pocket only to retrieve it again, can't keep still. He sees Harry sitting on the couch, not crying anymore thank God for that, and is just staring at the telly, eyes puffy red. Louis' heart aches seeing that forlorn look across Harry's face--he doesn't want to see such, never wishes for something as awful as that--but then again, he's practically the reason behind that kid in despair, so. Sue him.

Louis loves Harry more than he loves himself. It's true, and it's a bit pathetic.

Louis didn't want for things to come this far between them, specifically at school, more so with him being the captain of the football team, and for him to become one of the most popular at school to the point where everyone is depending on him at each tournament. Lasses flirt with him at each after school party, mates thinking highly of him in academics, teachers and schoolmates being all but proud of him, and--and it's just exhausting, you know? Louis didn't ask for any of that, but what can he do? Now that all of those are happening all at once? Nothing, precisely. And it sucks.

All Louis wants is Harry, but he can't just want that obviously, because he's got a promise to fulfill. He and Harry both have, actually. And it's to keep everything about their love to be nothing but discreet, for their love to not go public, for their love to not uncover. Not in their school, not to their mates there, not to their teachers, principal, and just, no one should know.  _No one_.

Only their families, aside from Perrie, know about their relationship, their marriage in particular. Besides those important people in their lives, no one else should know anymore.

And it's pretty much their problem each time, really, because they hurt whenever they have to pretend they don't know each other at school, that none of them mattered, that they don't give a damn for one another when they're within the school's premises. Which, basically, is fucking unfair and is rather bullshit. It hurts, it drives them mad, it sucks.

But what can they do anyway? Nothing. That's right.

All they have to do is go with the flow. Unless they want people eating at them that is. Just until they graduate and get the hell out of their school, then that's the only time they can come out of the closet for sure. It's hard living in a world filled with homophobic people. And Louis is too overprotective of Harry to even start with, so it's never gonna happen--the revelation.

All these people will have to face Louis' wrath firsthand if they would ever come at Harry because of their relationship. All these people will have to be punched in the face beforehand if they would ever say nasty things to his spouse just because they  _fell completely and utterly in love with each other_. Since they were kids, mind.

So no. This thing they have. This will remain a secret for however long. Louis is going to make sure of that. Because he loves Harry... and he will do anything in his power to protect him.

At all costs.

 


	2. part two: they got married 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**T w o:** _They Got Married_

💘💘💘

_About how these two teenage boys got married..._

It was pretty simple, really. Like an actual kid deciding on something they truly didn't know what was about. Their intentions absolutely pure and innocent, not really knowing whether what they were about to do had pros and cons them. Like someone picking one over the other just because they thought it would be best for them. A boy who'd been asked if they would want a robot or a toy car as their Christmas present, and then they'd say toy car because it was what everyone else chose.

It was that easy.

**______________________________**

Say, let's go back in summer of the same year, 2009.

It was in the month of April. The sun was shining, it was hot in the streets. Children everywhere were playing and eating ice cream, enjoying their summer (as though it was any different, the weather), and Louis and Perrie were out doing errands for Louis' mum, Jay. They were strolling in peace and laughing at something at the time, searching for supplies to Jay's kitchenette, when they stumbled upon some shop. A Jewelry shop to be specific, causing Louis' mind to go completely off...

And a plan was immediately built.

He had tugged on Perrie's shirt and had pulled her with him to go inside the shop on that sizzling day. They looked around--well, Louis did at least, because he was the one who was in search of something that might fit his and Harry's fingers anyway. Perrie had just stood behind him as he eyed each ring from behind shiny glasses.

When Louis didn't see the one he'd been looking for, he thought about just backing out the shop to like, go some Jewelry shop else, where maybe he could find the one his taste would go for. But when he was already at the verge of going out, the lady from behind the glass had called after him. So, of course, he turned back around with Perrie in tow. She'd asked what kind of ring he wanted.

Louis, feeling hesitant and unsure at the time, shook his head and waved her off, saying, "Nothing. I'm fine, just looked around is all," but the lady was quite persistent, thus she asked again if Louis' mum and dad were getting married and if he was there to get them something. Louis, again, had said no. And that had apparently made her randomly start telling off some story about how she got married and got her rings from said shop exactly, saying that until now she and her husband were still going strong,  _blah blah blah_. All because she got the rings on that shop.

Listening in, Perrie watched on as Louis considered what the lady just told. She winced, knowing Louis was probably thinking already that if he bought their rings there, his own marriage might also last a life time, like the sales clerk's had.

_Which. Fucking unbelievable! Who would fall for that kind of sales talk?_

In the end however, Louis had told her that he'd like to order a pair. Perrie was so shocked, terrified even, because while she was there with Louis in some damn Jewelry shop, she hadn't realised that Louis wanted to buy himself and Harry some rings so they could fucking get married.

How dumb, she'd thought to herself. She could have stopped Louis or maybe asked him to think it over first before stepping into something that was  _fucking big of a deal in your life, because fuck, Louis was only eighteen!_ He couldn't be getting married at a very young age, could he? At all.

But yet there he was, ordering a pair of rings to... to fucking propose to Harry freaking Styles. In which, Perrie was so damn sure, Harry the pigeon crybaby toed would say yes to, Jesus fucking Christ. Because if Louis was a dumbarse like he was being at that moment, then Harry was this much, much of a stupid dork that would definitely squeal if a Louis Tomlinson ever proposed to him.

Frustrated that eventful day, Perrie had let go of the thought and just let Louis do whatever the fuck he wanted. Taking things into consideration, Perrie knew then that her best friends will get married soon enough anyway, at some point at least, that was what she told herself. If not when they were only sixteen and eighteen, then maybe when they were twenty-one and twenty-three. And therefore Perrie thought, fuck it. They will get married no matter what, so why the fuck not do it now, yeah? No big deal, easy peasy. Just rings in their fingers, right? Just their surnames getting mixed up and that'd be it. They would still be the way they were then. They would still do boyfriend things like snog, have fun, continue dating and just everything they normally do as unofficial spouses. Yeah, that was it. Right.

So eventually, they did marry.

Perrie and some random pedestrian were the only people who had witnessed the odd occasion in a church back in Holmes Chapel.

The priest, old and grey-haired, had been persuaded of course; they told him that they will hang themselves if he didn't bless them or like, bestow his holy words upon them--baptize them and that entire sort.

Presumptuous enough, the priest gave in and let them have whatever it was that they were blackmailing him about. As if they were the first ones to ever threaten him like that anyway, because believe it or not, that priest had let so many ridiculous marriages happen from the past, and they all had been sick. Not to stereotype, but British kids  _were_  sick.

So that's what's happened then. And Perrie doesn't think she'll ever forget being one of the only two witnesses that's been there, seeing two teenage boys get married.

Tears, happiness, pure and young love all combined. It was lovely, if she's honest. It was one of a kind. The way Louis and Harry had worn rings to one another, said their sweet I do's, the way Louis had leaned in and kissed Harry, carefully then, happy tears in his eyes... The part where Harry's curls draped down his reddened cheeks while he cupped Louis' face, bright green eyes locked with Louis' crystal blue ones.

That marriage was so perfect that even Perrie herself cried,  _sobbed_ even... And so did the random pedestrian dude alongside her. Which was kind of funny, actually.

Then again, it was so damn desirable.

As time flew by and Harry and Louis were already husbands, they wore their rings every day. There wasn't a chance or two that they would take them off. When Louis would come by at Harry's place to play Xbox in his room like the normal teenagers they were, he would always, always have the ring plastered around his finger as did Harry. They just really wouldn't take those rings off, basically. And until one rainy night when Gemma was fooling around with Harry, tickling each other and just being silly, something bewildering had out of nowhere occurred.

"Say I'm the most awesome sister!" Gemma demanded, tickling Harry's sides.

Harry was squirming, fighting her off. "N-no! No way!" He laughed so hard, not caring if he was looking ridiculous and odd, wriggling away from her dangerous clammy fingers.

"Oh, come on!" Gemma whined, laughing along.

They were really having fun, playing tickling war. That was until Harry blurted out when he felt something that went wrong. "W-wait, Gems! The-- the ring! My marriage ring is slipping off! Please let go first!"

Shocked, wide-eyed, and face flushed, Gemma let go of Harry immediately and watched while Harry fixed the ring and secured it around his finger--the way the ring should always be.

Gemma had been suspecting Harry and that ring of his for almost a week from then since, it had turned out, when she'd noticed him wearing it from way back, and--and wow, she'd never realised she was after all right, all those times. Still flustered and taken aback though, she asked cautiously, wanting to make sure, "Marriage ring? What do you mean, Haz?"

Harry didn't want to tell her, but oh dear God was Harry Edward Tomlinson never the liar. He wasn't good at it, ever, especially when it came to family. And Gemma was family, she was his older sister for Pete's sakes. And that was why... Harry had told her about everything.

_Everything._

She'd listened very carefully too, which was good, that. And then instead of feeling betrayed, she suggested that Harry should just tell their mother about it, because, Gemma had also told him, that she would find out eventually like it was inevitable. So it would be better if Harry would tell her himself firsthand, before she found out by default. That would break her heart and she'd be furious if she ever found out before Harry'd choose to come off an honest son to her, and Harry and Gemma both knew that.

With their fingers interlocked, Louis and Harry both let their parents gather altogether, including Perrie, so they could tell them all the big news; the big news of them being married, committed, and other halves of each other.

On the 2nd week of their marriage, the whole of Tomlinson and Styles got informed about it. At first, of course, both side of mothers hyperventilated and became hysterical knowing it (unlike their sisters that took the news quite well, congratulating them about the big news from across the table happily) and grounded them for a week.

As time flew by however, Anne and Jay finally let go of the whole trauma and just accepted the fact that their sons were in fact married now, and would be spending the rest of their lives stuck with each other even at such young ages. Because frankly, there is no room for divorce. They will not let that happen--even the twins, Phoebe and Daisy, won't let divorce happen.

And so it goes. Months later, Harry and Louis decided to move in together in their very own flat, meaning new schools, new people, and new surroundings--with Perrie tagging along with them. They chose to be somewhere in Doncaster, because it's Louis' hometown. As well as because Harry can take the long distance from his own just like Perrie is, so everyone's good.

It's about their 4th month at their new school now, which is in Fargo High School, and the outcome has been for the last 3 months, is of Louis as the captain of their school's football team, popular at school--to girls, to boys, to their teachers--mates depending on him, and of course, one who also is known to be single and  _not_  married. Absolutely not married, because god, he's only eighteen and that would be ridiculous, wouldn't it? For others it would. So, it's a no. He and Harry have agreed ages ago to not reveal their infinite commitment to each other to other people. And so they won't.

But yes, of course, there's Harry Styles in school; Harry as this low profile school boy in Fargo High. Dark brown curly hair, green eyes, hidden smile... hanging out with the "unpopular" crowd consisting of a Niall Horan and a Liam Payne. Both who are also stereotyped as the puppy virgins at school. Which is stupid to say the least.

They are constantly getting teased about it, including Harry, getting picked on, because they're "dorks", their classmates would say. Something Louis has no control over, really. Whether he didn't want Harry getting teased at school or did, there's nothing he could do about it.

He'd watch, or sometimes when people would expect things from him at some point, he would join the teasing and the laughing in his best fake attitude, until he would go home and apologize to Harry about the whole act, sleep with him, and then shower him with kisses. Fucked up, yes, but what can Louis do? That's just how things work from now. They're in a rather crisis here, and they're only in Year Eleven. Nothing they can really do, innit? Too young for all these, too fragile, too immature and, yeah... there's no turning back.

_It is what it is._

Too bad for Harry though, he isn't that great at sport unlike Louis who is very well at it, so he's never going to become as popular and reliable as his husband is, for sure. In other words, it will always be difficult, because a.) Harry is being treated badly at school by their pesky schoolmates and b.) for Louis too, because he has nothing to do but watch Harry get bullied.

Realistically, Louis thinks he's such a selfish brat for letting all these happen without him putting up a fight. All the fucking time. It's taunting him. But oh the sweet, sweet angel Harry will only always tell him that,  _it's okay, Lou, really. There's nothing they can do that will break me. As long as they're treating you king, I'll be just fine. You do you, baby, and let's just wait until all of this is over._

How they badly want for things to work out well somehow. How badly Louis wants for Harry to be happy all the time...

Until they graduate, they would always say. Just until they graduate.

 


	3. part three: don't put your mask on while i'm still here 💞

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t T h r e e:** _Don't Put Your Mask On While I'm Still Here_

💘💘💘

Harry is still seated on the couch by the time Louis' made it to the living room, wiping at his eyes as he quietly sniffles on his own, Dusty snuggling on his foot. He's got bloodshot eyes and red puffy lips, still looking pretty despite his despair, and Louis is breaking slowly just by the sight of that.

"He said never again... but look what he'd done."

He can hear at a distance just what Harry is mumbling about, and Louis thinks as if by instinct  _no, you're wrong, baby_. Louis would've fought for him if only it wouldn't cost him both he and Harry's secret marriage.

"Haz..."

"Go away, Louis," comes Harry's immediate reply. A sniffle follows right after. And then there's a  _meow._

"Please, babe, forgive me... I'm sorry," Louis pleads, voice soft and raspy. He's all and ready to go now, dressed in his proper school uniform, and as well as Perrie behind him who is just about leaving. He needs Harry to cooperate with him, else Mr. Brenneisen will kill them.

"No, you're a jerk. I don't wanna talk to you," Harry petulantly persists. Louis sighs, watching on as Harry crosses his arms against his chest and huffing.

"Harold, for god's sake--"

"See?" Harry snaps, whipping his head around and directly looking at Louis with a death glare. Dusty jumps away at that.  _Poor kitty_. "See what you're doing now, Lou? You're about swearing at me!"

"No, I wasn't!" Louis denies, heart and ears pounding. "I was just--"

"Hey, Lou." Perrie cuts in, quickly before anything happens. She walks toward him with calculated strides. Louis is thoroughly agitated, she sees, as she chances him a glance. "Uh, Lou?"

"Pez, please. Not now. I'm kind of in the middle of something here..." Louis sighs, gesturing towards Harry who's having a fit. Harry glares back in return, worrying his bottom lip with his thumb and forefinger--a thing he does when shaking like a leaf. Louis just wants to hug him.

"But, uh, your mums had called earlier, asking how you guys are. I just think-- y'all should give them a call."  _Smooth, Perrie, smooth._

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, babe," Louis tells her, smiling briefly. Perrie nods at that, and then goes to where Harry is sat, and kisses the top of his head. Louis' heart melts on the spot, watching them like that. But then he gets back with his thoughts,  _he needs to talk to the boy_ , he scolds himself mentally, otherwise he'll lose it.

Backing up from kissing Harry, Perrie shoots Louis a look and winks at him, indicating he should go and make up with Harry now--like,  _right now, no more arguments!_ \--eyebrows wiggling knowingly. Sighing deeply, Louis wordlessly tells her that he totally will, so she better head out now and go to school, and stop worrying about them. He can handle his husband, he thinks shrewdly,  _he can._

Perrie nods in understanding, and then leaves without another word.

Louis, standing by the doorway, looks at Harry on the couch and studies him before anything else. He clears his throat in hopes of stealing Harry's attention once again, but this time in a nicer way. "Sweetie?" He retries, stepping closer little by little. "Uhm. Come on now, we should leave for school. We're going to be late, you know..." He said those rather softly, being all easy and cautious. Harry must know how sorry he honestly is.

However, Harry sniffles some more still clearly agitated, and that just breaks Louis' heart even so. Without expecting it, Harry stands up from the couch anyway making Louis light up. He shuffles toward Louis by the doorway, not a single word spoken.

Once Harry gets there, Louis lifts both his hands to fix Harry's uniform for him like nothing at all happened; his sleeves, his collar and then his tie, and until he heaves out a sigh, pausing. "Look, I'm sorry, Haz. You know I am. It's just, when things like that happens, you know how I can't just yell at their faces, right? I don't-- I don't like it. I don't like the fact that that girl's arms have been around me. Of course not." He scoffs. "It will always be you, Haz. I'm yours, see?" Louis spreads his arms as an indication he in fact is Harry's. "All yours."

Harry still won't say anything, pouting, to which has Louis letting go another forlorn sigh. He lifts Harry's chin to make him look at him, now it's once again green eyes locked with blue eyes. Like they do, every single day. "Mine," Louis whispers, "And you're all mine."

Harry bites his bottom lip as he locks eyes with Louis, and then slowly, he sinks into that look that only Louis can give him. "I was jealous, Lou. I got so damn jealous, okay?" Harry protrudes, finally, voice small and trembling. "I was afraid she'd take you away from me, and I... I don't want that to ever happen. It's all right if people are to tease me, hurt me, but seeing them put their arms around you like that? I don't think I can, Lou. 'Got so mad."

Louis' had his eyes closed during Harry's little speech, barely taking in whatever Harry's telling him if he's honest. But fuck. The whole  _it's all right if people are to tease me, hurt me, but seeing them put their arms around you like that? I don't think I can, Lou_ just made Louis' heart literally ache as it pumped. It kills Louis to think that he can't protect Harry from people that surround him, and it makes him want to punch. Louis just wants to take Harry away from them, the cruel world, away from things that could hurt Harry. But then again, he just really couldn't, could he? Even if that's what he wants.

_Not all you want you can have. Fuck._

Having not able to say anything, Louis instead pulls Harry in and wraps his arms around him. He inhales Harry's scent, the cologne he's using, breathing in all of him, feeling his heart beating against his, two hearts becoming one. Harry's soft curls are brushing against his cheeks, making him... smile. He's so weak for his baby.

Louis feels at home hugging Harry like this and he loves every bit of it, wishes he can do this with Harry a little bit longer and just ditch school all at once instead. They can't though, they should leave soon and go to school, so Louis lets go of him eventually. He looks at Harry's eyes, cupping his face as he admires him, and then says in a whisper, "I'm so sorry, love. Really sorry... forgive me, please? I love you." Louis brushes his nose against Harry's--an Eskimo kiss, a Harry thing--waiting for a response and keeping him close like that, afraid he might just slip away. He can't make Harry feel less loved, Louis thinks; Harry deserves the wholeness of his love.

Harry presses his forehead against Louis', and then leaning in slowly, he and Louis kiss softly, pink lips pressing against each other's, gently now as their eyes close, breathing in deeply. "I forgive you, Lou. I really don't hate you, you know. I was just... mad. That's all," Harry mumbles, lips brushing against Louis' as he talks.

Louis suppresses a genuine smile, and then tightens his hands on Harry's face, kisses him once more. "Thank you. I love you, I love, love, love you."

Harry giggles, the sound of it heaven to Louis' ears, as he backs away a little to take Louis' left hand. "I love you too, babe," he tells him. "Now, shall we take these off?" he asks, referring to their rings.

Louis sighs around a sad smile, nodding. "Yes. We shall."

They take their rings off, kiss them goodbye, and stuff them in their school bags. Louis and Harry step out the flat and Louis does the honor of locking the door behind them before they could proceed toward the streets. Done with that, hand in hand they walk down the street and turn left to head to the bus station.

Every day, they would carry on with this kind of routine; hand in hand towards the bus station, wait for the bus, sit at the farthest seats of the bus once in, and then wait until they get to their destination. Still hand in hand at that, they would look out the windows and out the streets by the right side of the big red bus, because they would be expecting the first batch of trees that would come to view... just like now.

They both leave the bus then, paying fares, standing by the third tree to their left in the end. It's where they part, most days.

"So," Louis starts to say, something Harry dreads to hear each time because it meant pretending of being not together, not married to one another. "I'll see you later after school, then?"

Harry swallows, nodding and closing his eyes. He can already tell he'll miss  _this_ Louis. "Yeah, okay. I'll see you later."

"4:30 sharp, here, yes, babe?"

"Yes, babe."

Louis isn't yet moving, making Harry open his eyes in utter confusion. He looks at Louis as Louis looks at him too. And then suddenly, Louis' leaning in, kissing him hard. "Listen, Haz," he says softly against their lips.

"Hmm?" Harry murmurs in response.

"I love you. Never forget that."

Harry nods a bit, murmuring back, "Yup. I won't."

And then Louis is suddenly letting go of him, staring at him for the last time, and giving him this serious expression that screams  _no matter what, we're in this together_. Without much warning, Louis starts to jog his way toward their school gates, descending. Harry just watches him go, and already longing.

After quite some time, Harry eventually does the same too, has just bought Louis some time for himself, although in his case gaze lowered with his curls draping down his pale face, walking.

And he can already tell, it's going to be another long crucial day. Typically so.

 


	4. part four: 17black 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t F o u r:** _17Black_

💘💘💘

By the time the clock strikes half past ten and Mr. Brenneisen has left the area, everybody in their classroom then starts producing discreet murmurs and pronounced buzzes like no one has a care in the world. Just like what usually goes down in class 15 section C, much to Harry's dismay.

Group by group, everyone's chatting as though they aren't inside some legitimate classroom, which is a right shame, as if they're in some sort of park where gossiping and chilling are all pretty much necessary. Or perhaps a pub.

Harry inwardly sighs, ducking his head down just after glancing at the direction where Louis is sat, which is at the front row with Zayn, Josh, Stan and Nick. Louis' mates at school;  _the pricks_ , as Harry would address them on his own. When he and Louis are alone in their bedroom and are having a bit of bantering. Louis doesn't mind. He never minds at all. He will only laugh it off.  _Team Harry all the way_ , once he's told a soul.

While Harry's trying hard to keep his mind off of things (particularly his spouse who's supposedly getting coaxed with Nick next to him), Niall suddenly nudges him as he leans in to whisper. "Hey."

Harry doesn't turn his head to look at Niall. He only whispers back. "What?"

"It's about the proposal Liam and I asked you earlier, mate. You up for it? Finally changed your mind of backing out?"

Sighing, Harry shrugs at this, not really in the mood for anything Niall is saying. Although believe him or not, he's really considered their invitation of coming with them at some nightclub to have fun, it's just that--Harry doesn't want Louis to feel bad if he ever tagged along with them without his consent, and so his answer is, "I'm so sorry, mate." And he sighs some more. "I just... uh, my mum won't let me, really. I'm still her baby, apparently. So... perhaps ask somebody else?" He lies, suggesting them some other option.

Niall shakes his head, pursing his lips. "God, Harold. You're already of age, not a kid!" He hisses. "Can't your mum--"

"Niall," Harry says sharply, cutting Niall off. "Please. Just understand."

Niall nods at that, huffing and pouting. "Whatever."

Harry nods too, giving him and Liam, who's seated next to Niall, an apologetic look. He mouths,  _really sorry._

**______________________________**

After some time of everyone zoning out, antics on full time show, Zayn Malik, the class president of their section, finally stands up from his seat and goes upfront, facing all of them inside the classroom. "Listen up!" He calls, voice sharp and authoritative. Everybody looks up, stopping whatever they're doing and paying attention to Zayn. "So, as we all can see, because it's kind of obvious after all--," (Harry rolls his eyes), "--our teacher isn't here yet. Well, that's because he can't make it today, he's informed Nick just now. Old chap's ill. Therefore, as your president, I'm telling you all to shut up and behave for the duration of his period. Stan and I will be patrolling, and we will be spotting naughty students. Understood?"

The entire classroom, filled with twenty-seven students tops, erupts with low murmurs, some disagreeing, some annoyed and some resuming with their chattering as if they'd even give a damn. Harry scoffs. It starts getting noisy again from there, but Zayn only rolls his eyes and motions for Stan to start patrolling with him. They bring a pen and a notebook for their noisy list.

Harry heaves out a sigh. He hates it when the teacher is absent. Very much despises it! Because then his bastards of classmates will be taking advantage of ruling the entire room, and then will purposefully mention...

"Styles!" Nick shouts all the way from his seat, the  _git_ , pointing at Harry with the stupidest grin. "I saw Harry chatting up Horan!" He sing-songs.

"Okay! One down!" Stans chirps.

"List down Styles, mate," pipes Zayn.

And this is what Harry's talking about exactly. Why they enjoy tormenting him, Harry will probably never know. But alas.

But then, "Wait," someone says.

Everyone, including Harry, look over to them. Just to see what the commotion is about. It's turned out it was Louis. Harry's heart beat races as he looks over to him, breath hitching against his throat (things Louis can do to him). Louis is looking at Stan and Zayn, lips on a straight line, blue eyes empty. "I didn't see Styles chatting anyone up. Nick made that up."

"What--" Nick tries to object.

"Right, Grimmy?" Louis raises an eyebrow at Nick, staring pointedly.

Harry's smirking mentally as he eyes Nick, Zayn and Stan, anticipation flooding his mind.  _Well done, babe, well done_ , he thinks to himself. Louis deserves some sort of reward for this later, surely.

Nick huffs, crossing his arms against his chest. "Fuck it. Yeah, okay, I made that up, yeah."

Zayn and Stan shrug, and then Stan erases Harry's name on the list of noisy brats. Louis shoots Harry a two-second short glance, and then they are automatically back with ignoring each other. Harry pouts, sinking back to his seat.

"What a fucking moron..." He hears Niall mutter next to him, the boy doodling something on his notepad, head lowered down. Harry glances at him, smiling lopsidedly, agreeing  _yeah, what a fucking moron indeed._

Moments to their class' vacancy, Harry hasn't noticed how he's eventually fallen asleep.

He's been dreaming. Dreaming of himself, Louis and Dusty playing under the sun, running wild and laughing, all pink-cheeked and white pearls glistening. Heart eyes and fond smiles. They were so happy in his dream, they were free, no problem, no evil lurking eyes trying to ruin their time...

But just as Harry's about the verge of having Louis hug him dreaming-wise, squeeze him and nuzzle against him, a loud squeal back from reality has got him waking up. So much for beautiful scenes...

Harry's dream shatters down on him. Completely. It's become one of those soft clouds and telly without a signal, or much worse white fogs, vanishing painfully slow into thin air. Annoyed, Harry pries his eyes open and yawns as he looks around. He's still inside the classroom then.

He searches for the culprit--the one who's behind the death of his wonderful dream.

"Louis!"

Oh no.

Harry shuts in eyes. "Damn it."

Tessa barges in with a flourish, squealing maniacally, practically lunging herself to Louis.  _Harry's Louis!_ Gritting his teeth, Harry feels something in what seems to be his tummy boiling immensely. And he thinks, rather dryly,  _here goes this harlot again._ Harry wonders how will Louis get rid of her this time, because didn't they just fight about this?

Long blonde hair, petite figure, plain blue eyes and thin red lips--Tessa--the cheer captain of the cheerleading squad at Fargo High School, the ever vocal house, flirtatious and malicious, a massive, massive menace and Harry's worst nightmare ever since he and Louis have moved to town.

She's not a nice lass, that one's much given, but she's isn't that bad either. They say she isn't the swearing type.  _If that._  She truly is annoying though (obviously), and she's such an expert with feigning innocence as is. A faker, as everyone thinks of her... Then again, people at their school praise her for some reason. They "love" her, they stay by her side. Perhaps because she's the cheer captain after all. She's one of those in Fargo that keep their school's reputation afloat. When it comes to cheering competitions against other schools, fighting against various towns when a game is being held, and just every competition in particular that the school needs her to be battling against with. Some may say they use her, and though that's partially true, Tessa nevertheless loves the attention--she has never once lost. And maybe that's how her ego got big anyway. Too big for the crown to fit.

Basically, what Tessa wants, Tessa gets. She has that reputation.

Materials, friends, positions, boys; she gets them. That's how she rolls, they say.

Now from the very beginning, since Louis has become the captain of the football team at their school (the last time it was Stan--Tessa's ex boy toy), the hot, polite, handsome, and oh so funny ol' Louis Tomlinson became the most popular boy at Fargo, Tessa then more than anything has wanted Louis all to be hers.

All hers. And Louis and Harry have always known that...

Well, in fact, everybody at their school-- heck, the specs, termites and germs probably-- even know that. It's way too obvious, that's why. Like, despite she's not trying at all.

"Err, Tessa?" Louis squeaks rooted to his spot, clearly surprised to see her. With two of her cheer squad friends standing behind her: Sophia and Melly. Eleanor isn't with them today, apparently.

"So, how is my captain today then?" Tessa asks, flirtatiously, flashing Louis the widest of the widest smiles she can ever muster, hanging her skinny arms securely around Louis' shoulder. Harry, sat from afar swallows dryly, clenching his fist in anger.

Louis swallows too, squinting a little bit. He can feel Harry tensing from where he is, and he just knows... the husband's instantly insulted. Louis memorized him so well, as though they're feeling the same thing most of the time, just like how they mirror one another without noticing.

"H-hey, Tessa!" Louis finally utters out, arms flailing in the air. He sounded so awkward he wants to cry. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Aha..." He's laughing forcefully now, teeth flashed out.  _To perfect the act_ , he tells himself. "And you?"

Stan and Zayn are watching on-- the entire room, actually--their attention all been taken. Stan rolls his eyes the moment Tessa's flicked her long hair, causing Zayn to snicker beside him, and Nick on the other hand raises his eyebrow. Niall next to Harry is chewing his lip as he looks down (avoiding all the commotion) and Liam is just there... feeling shy for everyone's behalf. And the thing is, Tessa embarrasses everyone every freaking time she acts like a lunatic. Like now. Whenever she's pulling the 'bimbo' stance. Pathetic.

"Oh, I'm fantastic, babe!" She beams. "Feeling great today!" Louis nods in response, doesn't know what to say to her next.

"Whore," Harry hears Niall say, the lad shaking his head as he carries on chewing his lip. Harry sighs, agreeing and ducking his head low.

"Tessa. What are you doing here?" Stan asks, sounding annoyed as he taps on his pad with his blue pen.

Tessa ignores him, just continues to smile sweetly at Louis. "Have you eaten, Lou-lou?"

Harry's head perks up. "Lou-lou?" He muses to himself, cocking a brow all ridiculed. "Did she just...?"

Louis clears his throat, laughing uncomfortably. "Break's after this subject, Tessa. I believe that that's the only time I could eat, so. It's a no."

"Oh." Half of the classroom erupts in low snickers, to which Tessa rolls her eyes for. "Anyway! I actually came here to give you something," she says loudly, laughing. "'Think I would come here without a reason? No way!"

"Uh, okay? What... is it?" Louis asks cautiously, gulping. The last time Tessa's told him those exact words, 'about giving him something', she handed him some pink and purple pouches filled with sweets, macaroons and chocolates-- that Perrie ate before Harry could know by the way, when he took those home.

Poor girl Perrie, didn't know it was actually from the said girl Harry hates. And yet she's eaten something of hers. Louis could only wince. He thought at the time being that would be better, instead of letting his husband know about him receiving stupid presents.

Tessa whips around and faces her gal pals, Sophia and Melly. "Where is it, girls?" She asks, demanding yet giddy. "C'mon, hurry." Melly hands out something what looks to be a shirt-- or a jersey, with the way it's constructed. "This, Lou-lou!" She chirps, turning back to face Louis.

Louis eyes the material, the first things having noted being the number '17' and its colour that is black. It's a jersey then, a football jersey. "Who is it from?" Louis asks, not taking the thing yet and making sure.

"Oh," Tessa exhales presumptuously, twirling a strand of hair around her pinky. "It's from Mrs. Griffiths. She ordered me to bring it up here is all. For you, babe." She smirks.

And that was it for Nick apparently, because he scoffs, interjecting, "Or was it, you volunteered yourself to come and bring that thing here. Surely, there was no way she purposely picked you. You're a brat and she knows it. There's just no way."

Crossing her arms against her chest, Tessa cocks one perfectly trimmed eyebrow at him, for once acknowledging someone instead of just Louis. "Well, well, well. How about you shut that massive mouth of yours, eh, Grimshaw? Hmm? It's the best for everyone here, darling, let me just assure you."

Nick stands up from his seat, cocking an eyebrow as well and facing Tessa. They're chest to chest now and glaring at each other, noses flaring in dislike. And their bickering begins from there. Louis takes the opportunity to snatch the jersey off Tessa's hand then.

Louis after inspecting the material wears it over his head. He admires the jersey while it's worn on him, awestruck. It's already been a while since Louis' played for Fargo High School as team captain, and surely it's been awesome. But it's only now that he's finally owning his very own jersey. He feels absolutely ecstatic about it. "Seventeen. Black," Louis mutters mostly to himself, smiling down to his torso, smoothing the fabric against his chest.

Harry stares at him, mouth agape in a fond way, feeling happy for his partner; Harry's always thought it'd be perfect if Louis' finally had himself some uniform such as a jersey, not just one of those he uses when practicing out the field--some white joggers and some plain shirt.

By the time Stan and Zayn have joined the bickering Nick and Tessa started, the bell suddenly starts ringing, indicating their break time. Louis' gaze at that darts toward Harry for instance, blinking just once. And Harry needn't to be signaled twice. He just stands up from his chair to leave the room, no warnings whatsoever.

Niall halts him. "Where you goin', mate?"

"Taking a piss," Harry reasons immediately.

Perfectly oblivious, Niall only nods, and then he and Liam stand up at the same time. "Just meet us at the cafeteria then, yeah? Our usual seats. See you."

"Alright, sure." Harry rushes out the room, leaving everyone behind.

Walking as casually as he can not to bring attention to himself, despite he's bit by bit getting excited, Harry keeps a totally passive face.  _Until he gets there_ , he urges to tell himself.

He succeeds, almost. Because as soon as he reaches the half-filled, half-empty hallways of their campus, his cheeks spread wide and he starts grinning foolishly, all dimples and flushed face.

He searches for the footie players' lockers room at the far end of the building and sneaks inside it. Sighing in relief, Harry finds himself alone at said area. "Great," he breathes out, "no one's here. Good."

Harry walks around the lockers room, killing time. Continuing to smile like a dork, face heating up in pure excitement.

Harry, he's waiting. Waiting for him.

After some time, and after Harry's learned Milton's locker is actually next to Zayn and Louis', some sort of door creaking sound erupts from the entrance of the room. And then a voice calls out. "Haz? Where are you?"

"Here, Lou," Harry answers from where he stand, which is against Louis' own locker.

Quick to spot his spouse, Louis walks toward the exact place where he's only imagined him to be.

_Harry!_

With no more than a second or two, Louis dressed in black jersey is already reaching out to an angelic-looking boy.

 _Louis_...

He cups Harry's face almost instantly the moment he gets to him, smashing their lips together. As one. "Oh, Harry," he exhales against their lips. "Fuck, baby. I've been dying to do this to you the entire morning. Oh, god." Louis groans in both lust and despair combined, pecking Harry's lips times and times.

Harry smiles. He's letting Louis smack his hot and wet lips against his' over and over again, loving the feeling himself. "You were that eager, Lou?" He teases, words cutting between kisses.

Louis nods vigorously, undeterred. His hold on Harry's cheeks tighten, becoming even more possessive than the usual. "Yes, Haz. God, I was worried you'll get mad at me again. That you wouldn't meet me here... even when I looked at you in signal back there."

Finally holding back, Harry rests both his hands on either side of Louis' hips and keeps him close like that. "Is it about Tessa again just now?" He asks softly, looking at Louis straight in his sparkling blue eyes.

Louis nods again. "Yeah."

Harry shakes his head, smiling. "No, Lou. 'M not mad. Not at you, at least. I've seen how you struggled back there-- it was actually painful to watch, because you looked so uncomfortable being around that girl."

Louis sighs, dropping his head on Harry's left shoulder. "You know it... Fuck her, seriously. I don't know how to act around her. All the fucking time. Did you know she even gave me these... these pink and purple pouches of sweets last week? I was humiliated nearby the ladies loos! Some chick giving a boy some presents in front of Year Eighths. 'Was the worst."

Harry snickers. "Oh, that," he says, "Perrie ate them, I think. I caught her munching on yellow and brown macaroons the other day-- she was even trying to hide it from me."

"That pig." Louis giggles, making Harry's heart flutter. "Right, yes, I gave 'em to her. 'Didn't want you seeing them, so."

Harry heaves out a sigh, and then holds Louis' each arm, pushing him a bit so he can see him fully; Louis looks right back at him too. "I love you, Lou," he mutters seriously, honestly, "I love you so much. I just wish nobody ever wins you over me--"

"Harry, hey," Louis cuts him off, shaking his head firmly. "Harry, look. Stop saying things like that, okay? No one can ever replace you here." He points to his chest determinedly, just where his heart is supposed to be. "No one. We're forever, baby. You do realise that, don't you?"

Harry blinks, hazy like he's inside a dream. He nods slowly. And Louis throws his hands in the air. "This?" He says loudly. "This, our situation here at school, Harry. It's all nothing! This won't tear us. We can get through this, 'cause we're strong. We're  _strong!_ "

Grabbing Harry's arms, Louis directs his focus on Harry's eyes, his face. "Just after we graduate. It's a good thing we both enrolled in the same school year, because then we can look after each other. That's what this is about anyway, right? We made a vow--it's to love each other eternally--thus, it will be fulfilled. No matter what."

Putting his case into consideration, Harry at this point isn't sure anymore, but... But perhaps he's just once again fallen in love with his husband. "Yeah... you're right. For better, for worse, yes. Of course."

"Good." Louis lets their foreheads press, inhaling, breathing in Harry's angelic scent, gaze locked on Harry's pair of pink plump lips. And just then, he finally leans in to close the gap between their mouths, kissing Harry gently, all his worries getting drained. Just like that. "You're my safe haven, Haz, do you know that?"

"Mhmm," Harry responds, rather absently, his mind drifting away because it's what Louis does to him amiably. He wraps his arms around Louis' waist. "Am I?"

"Of course, silly." Louis chuckles softly, rubbing their noses together in an Eskimo kiss.

Harry giggles at that. "You're my safe haven too, baby. Always."

"I know," Louis mutters, grinning, "but," he continues with a sly frown, "I think we should go and takd our breaks now before someone catches us all loved up and cuddled here."

"Right, right," Harry says with a nod, "We should."

Silence.

Louis looks at Harry, tilting his head. He licks on his lips. "I love you, Haz. I'll see you later, yeah?"

Harry smiles lopsidedly. "Sure, Lou-lou. Deal."

Louis makes a face. "Lou-lou," he says mockingly. Harry laughs. After a bit more while, eventually they part, but not before they showered each other with yet another batches of cinnamon sweet kisses though.

**______________________________**

The rest of the school hours have come and passed quite fast, thank God for that, so thus before they know it, it's almost time for packing up to get home.

Harry and Liam spent their time solving equations that Mr. Major, their maths teacher, had had them working on, which was fine. As well as the rest of the class for that matter, except for Horan though.

Niall, apparently got caught cheating on his period, courtesy of Grimshaw again of course, which sucked for him. Because of that, Niall was sent to detention. Supposedly, Harry and Liam were to be sent as well, but that was until Louis defended them, telling Mr. Major they weren't doing anything wrong. Which, Harry was once again thankful for. Louis is a gift.

Anyway, in return, they took the opportunity to solve every single equation there were to answer. It was a fun moment for all. As results, Harry and Liam both got B's. Louis got B minus. Nick got a C minus, plus dishonesty. Lastly, Niall was given another chance to answer the same examination. That was, however, when he was done with his punishment.

Niall is an outstanding pupil of Mr. Major, see. He loves maths, and Mr. Major loves students like him. Not the ones like Nick.

**______________________________**

It's finally four in the afternoon, the sun is just about to setting any moment now, the air crispy cool, and Harry is on his way to his and Louis' meeting place by the tree. Out of school's boundaries. Out the school premises. It's alwsys been like this...

Reaching the certain place, Harry stands by their tree, smiling fondly as he thinks to himself.

 _Louis. Louis with the blueblueblue eyes. Louis with the rosy cheeks. Louis with the loveliest smiles, Louis with the most gorgeous prominently high cheekbones._ Louis, it's always Louis.

Comes 4:40 PM, Louis isn't yet arriving...

Harry starts sweating.

Thing is, Louis has never once arrived late. Harry knows that--they both know that. Most especially now. Not when they've just had that intimate moment back in the footie players' lockers room...

Something... something must've gone wrong, right? If so, what is it? Harry hopes Louis isn't in some kind of trouble now, or worst, got dragged by Tessa and her lame antics.

As if the universe has read Harry's mind at all, on cue, his phone buzzes in his pocket indicating a call. Fishing it out, Harry accepts the call right away knowing it's Louis. "Lou? Where are you?"

"Hey," Louis says, voice a bit off. Harry can already tell this is not gonna be good. He frowns, cupping the receiver with his hand.

"Hey... What's up?" Harry whispers. "Where are you, Lou?"

"I... I can't go home yet, Haz," Louis whispers back, and Harry can almost hear him wincing on the other line. "Te--," he sighs, cutting himself off. "Listen, it's. It's Tessa, she-- she practically pleaded to me to come with her and her friends."

Harry's heart is on his mouth, throat closing in. He can't breathe. He can't move. "What..." He's being frozen to the spot, just like his heart is.

Louis sighs deeply. "I'm so, so sorry, sweetheart. God," Louis groans, "I would be in so much trouble again with you, wouldn't I?" he says, sounding defeated. He probably already knows the answer to that.

Biting on his trembling lip, Harry forces himself not to have a lethal breakdown right there and then. He won't. Despite he wants to cry so badly, eyes already stinging begging for tears to drop.

It's official, he thinks, he hates Tessa so much.

"I... I'll just see you later at home, Lou," is all Harry says, and then he's hanging up the next... leaving Louis speechless and not at all forgiven.


	5. part five: you aren't sleeping alone tonight 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t  F i v e:** _You Aren't Sleeping Alone Tonight_

💘💘💘

Harry walks home alone. He decides against riding a bus today-- not really in the mood with having people around and sitting next to him. Today isn't a good day.

When Harry gets home, Perrie opens the door for him, and instantaneously as though he's been craving it all day, he wraps his arms around her. That's the only time then that he finally lets his tears fall.

Perrie hushes him, pulling him inside the flat as she cards her fingers through his curly locks, taming his whirl winded-mop in the process. She stays silent.

Heartbeats later, she finally tries for one question, "It's that Tessa girl again?"

Not saying a word, Harry for a second there had made Perrie all angered and worried. But then Harry suddenly nods his head, and that has just hit it home for Perrie.

"Aw, baby," she coos, stroking the back of Harry's head, "I'm so sorry..."

Harry looks up, eyes red and puffy and teary, lips swollen and redder than usual. "For what?" He croaks out. "You didn't do anything, Pezza, it's Louis... he didn't say no to her invitation. They went somewhere, I don't know where. I didn't bother asking him."

"Oh, Jesus," Perrie mutters, pulling Harry back again to rest against her neck. "Don't get mad at him, Haz, I'm sure Louis tried waggling off that girl's claws. We know Louis, he wouldn't let you down without putting up a fight. You know Louis. He always tries hard."

Harry sniffles, pouting as he thinks about Perrie's words. She sure is right, is the thing, and Harry knows it. Louis does try hard. What Louis' shown him today at school, was all Louis trying to defend him from Nick, the world, and just everything that's tried to hurt his feelings.

The vow. Harry thinks about the vow they made back in the summer. It's the one that makes sense above the rest, and it's what his weak ass heart needs right now...

"I guess you're right, Pez," Harry finally says, voice cracking at the end. "I'll... I'll try not to be sad. He told me himself he was sorry after all."

Perrie gently pushes his head off her neck and cups his face so she can look at him; she searches his eyes, aiming for nothing but honesty. Sincerity. "So... do you forgive him now, Harry? There," she points at his chest, "there in your heart. Have you forgiven him at heart?"

Harry blows out a sigh, averting his gaze and looking up at the ceiling. "Maybe," he mutters, "I don't know..."

Perrie rolls her eyes, huffing. She smacks Harry right across the head. "Idiot," she says, "Louis' your husband, do you hear? He will always, always come home to you no matter what, understood? So, I suggest you forgive him, even if it's just in your heart that you will. You have to trust him, have faith in him! We're both sure nothing below the belt will happen to him later on. It's you that he'll choose, as always, in the end!"

Harry scratches the back of his head where Perrie's smacked him quite hardly, not at all complaining about it. She's quite the amazon anyway, so he and Louis pretty much respect her to the highest of levels. Not only because of that though, but also because she's like their big sister (even if Louis' older than her), their part time mother, and best friend. She's their fairy god mother too. So reliable, so kind, so lovely. So, "Okay, okay. I suppose," Harry tells her, giving up. "You're right, I'll admit. Damn, it even scares me sometimes how you're always right with things and critical situations such as this."

Perrie grins at him, the both of them loosening up now. "Oh, shut up. This isn't even yet one of those 'critical situations' you're speaking of, you little loon," she says, air-quoting.

Harry rolls his eyes, and then finally he grins. "I know, I know. You've helped us quite a million times now, admittedly, yes."

"Exactly!" Perrie beams exaggeratedly, grinning widely. She widens her arms, beckoning for Harry to step forward and give her a hug--for consolation. Harry obliges, of course he would, grinning widely as well. Harry loves cuddling and Perrie's well aware of that; and thus alas. This is what she's chosen to do just so she can at least make Harry feel a bit less forlorn and broken. Harry inhales Perrie's fruity scent with a mixture of vanilla--just the way Harry's always been familiar of that wonderful smell she possesses--as he cuddles her, his arms wrapped around her waist. "Right," Perrie says after some time, patting Harry's back, "now, come on, you kid. Let's cook some dinner and eat. Also, you should help me with my take-home activities in History and Physics. You know I suck loads at those."

Harry chuckles, wiping at his tear-stained face. "Sure. Let's go and get it over with then."

**______________________________**

Harry stares at the ceiling as he lies in his and Louis' bed, counting the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck up there, not blinking so much because he might just fall asleep and that's what he's avoiding. He keeps on willing himself not to yawn--not to rub his eyes sleepily--even if it's tempting. He just doesn't want to yet.  _You can't sleep, Harry_ , he tells himself in his head over and over again, he must not.

Louis isn't home yet, is the thing, despite the fact it's already way, way, way past their bedtime. And Harry--Harry refuses to sleep alone. Heck, he's already swallowed hard earlier and taken the fact he was to walk alone until he was home. So, now he won't let sleeping alone happen, no. Not happening.

Louis and Harry's room is quiet at this time of the night, and the only sources of lightning are coming from the glow-in-dark stars up the ceiling, the bedside lamp by the nightstand next to Harry, and from the moonlight that's creeping through the windowpane. The night is cold, very cold, and nothing's making any actual noise, not the crickets on the trees, not the birds on their nests nor the stray dogs that howl. It's a sad, boring night.

It's almost two in the midnight, it's already so late and Harry knows that Perrie's already sound asleep in her room. Dusty too, probably, by the fluffy rug in the living room. How he envies them, really. Also, how tired is he now that he can fall asleep any moment.

But like,  _his big spoon..._

Harry clutches on the duvet and pulls it further against him, letting the hems touch his chin. "Lou... what's taking you so long?" He asks, no one in particular, causing him to release a sigh.

Just then, someone barges inside their room, making Harry open his mouth to say something, just anything, because he's expected it to be Louis.

He expected for something too much.

"Just as I thought," Perrie says, sighing. "You're still awake." Harry licks his lips, steadily breathing, just waiting for Perrie to say something that would may as well knock some senses out of him once again. Like perhaps tell him reasons of why he should just sleep now instead of waiting for Louis to come home to him. "Go to sleep, Haz," she finally tells him, "Louis is coming home late."

Harry shifts from his position to another. "I know."

"Did he text you?"

"I shut my phone off."

"Oh, Harold... Dear, why would you do that?" Perrie asks, sounding frustrated, coming closer. She leaves the door ajar, and then she sits at the edge of the bed, dipping the mattress. Perrie reaches out to Harry, running a hand through his curls. "He must be sending you loads of messages now, babe. Messages, asking for your forgiveness--"

"--and a lot of  _I love you's_ ," Harry finishes for her, "I know."

Perrie grins slyly. "Oh, well. We both know Louis very, very well, don't we?"

Harry nods. "We do, yeah."

Perrie leans down and plants a chaste kiss against Harry's forehead. "Right. Go to sleep now, Haz. Louis must just be around the corner, on his way here."

"Yeah, hope so," Harry replies, not sounding so sure.

Perrie shuts the bedside lamp and walks her way toward the door. "Night, love," she whispers amidst the dark, closing the door.

"Night, mum," Harry mumbles, and then he closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep.

**______________________________**

Louis is running, huffing off heavy breaths as he goes, and thinks he has never been more eager all his life of going home ever.  _Ever_.

It actually wasn't Louis' fault that he's running late. The truth of the matter is, he lost his wallet (where all his savings were usually stuffed) for a whole 3 hours from the party at Tessa's house when Nick and Stan were messing around with him, despite him ordering them to calm the fuck down. They just wouldn't, that's the shitty part of it, saying he wasn't the boss of them when it was party time. Louis had rolled his eyes as usual, looked for his missing wallet at the duration of time he was there, until he'd found it, and now he's fucking late for his cue to come home to his husband and Perrie.

Another thing as well that's eaten up his time, was the fact he's pushed himself to search for an open flower shop (despite the dawn of the night) while he found his way home. Louis thinks he maybe needs something smelling good and looking pretty in order to coax Harry and Perrie onto forgiving him completely. Louis knows he needs to put some big, big effort if he wants their  _I forgive you's._

"Fuck," Louis curses as he fixes his fringe, urging to see well as he runs, "fuck, fuck, fuck."

He lets his knapsack and gym bag dangle loosely against his shoulders as he firmly clutches on the flower bouquets in his arm--he's bought two; one for Perrie and one for Harry.

By the time their flat comes to view, Louis' so out of it his insides churn. And then suddenly he's feeling nervous.

 _Here goes nothing_ , he thinks with his troubled mind. Louis walks up the stone path after he's entered the front lawn, and then he uses his keys to open the door. The house is warm compare to the freezing degree outside and all the sudden, Louis' feeling contented that finally he's home. Dusty purrs from somewhere, indicating she's smelled Louis' presence as he walks further the area and into the living room. Louis can't see a thing, the lights are off, but he can care less about that for now.

As he tiptoes toward the kitchen, Perrie's door creaks open. "You're late, you twat. Where the fuck have you been?" She hisses almost instantly at him, crossing her arms against her chest and demanding for explanation.

Louis' heart is on his mouth. "Pezza," he breathes, "you... you gave me a fright, woman."

"Louis William Tomlinson. Where the hell have you been?" She asks again, a bit calmer now.

Louis heaves a sigh, dropping his heavy bags on the ground. He walks toward Perrie and lends out one bouquet--one that is stuffed of lilies and dandelions. "Tessa and her friends pulled me in their car this afternoon. She fucking  _dragged_ me, literally, with her, and brought me to her damn mansion," Louis explains. "She didn't even ask, just shoved me in the car. There were at least ten of them inside the car, like, fucking sardines. I tried to get off it, but when the car started moving, the next thing I knew was I'd already lost my way back. I searched my way home, Pez, believe me... I even lost my damn wallet at Tessa's lair and I had to go find it."

Perrie doesn't say a word for the meantime, sighing.

"Here, Pez. Just... just take this and forgive me, yeah?"

Perrie stares at the bouquet, and as soon as she's recognized it's her favourite lilies and dandelions, her facial expression completely softens. She accepts the bouquet then. "Harry's been waiting all night for you, you know," she murmurs, nuzzling her nose at the opening of the bouquet.

Louis nods. "I figured," he says softly.

"So?" Perrie demands.

Louis gulps, and then he leaves Perrie's doorstep to come to his and Harry's. Once at the doorway of their room, he looks back to see that Perrie's already shut her door. "Damn," Louis mumbles as he grips on the doorknob; turning back to it, he opens the door and trudges in. The entire room is cool, wind from the outside coming in right through their window. Louis makes his way over there and shuts the blinds to keep the wind from coming in. Facing the bed, he switches the bedside lamp on and immediately, he sees Harry's face silhouetted by the yellowness of the light as well as the darkness of the shadow.

His eyelids are closed, his red plump lips parted slightly... and he's snoring ever so softly.  _Louis' baby._

"You're so beautiful, princess," Louis murmurs, studying Harry. Harry's already too deep in sleep, Louis only realizes now, and he thinks maybe he's too late. Too late to be seen by Harry as he comes in tonight.

How Louis can imagine Harry waiting for him all night, all alone in this dark bedroom of their home... Louis mentally cringes at the thought.

Looking down at his body, Louis acknowledges he's still overdressed; he places the bouquet on the desk behind him then and takes off his coat, his shirt, his shoes, and then his pants, leaving his boxers and bare torso at bay. Louis climbs in bed next to Harry afterwards, scooting closer and closer to him until there's no spaces left between them. Louis leans in, and he can't help inhale Harry's sweet angel scent. He feels at home entirely all the sudden.

Staring up the ceiling where glow-in-the-dark stickers scatter, Louis absently brushes his fingers through Harry's soft curls as he thinks back to when he's put those up... just because Harry insisted to. Louis never wanted anything more but to grant his pleas because  _that was his baby asking for something_. Louis has always given Harry what he wants. He loves him too much.

Too much for his own good, perhaps.

"My baby," Louis whispers, pressing his palm against Harry's forehead, leaning close to kiss his lips.

"Mmm..." Harry shifts on his position all the sudden, momentarily disturbed in his sleep. Louis' heartbeat picks up its pace. "Lou? Is that you? You're home?" The tone of Harry's voice is low and raspy--scratchy at best. He sounds tired, almost drained, and Louis deems that's a clear evident of an aftermath of loneliness.

He feels a whole lot guilty about it.

"Yes, love, it's me. I'm home," he mumbles against Harry's cheek, kissing him twice right there. He places his arm over Harry's waist as he spoons him from behind, pulling him closer, closer, closer... as though they aren't yet snuggled enough.

He feels Harry exhales, not responding to him, and so silence takes over.

And until Louis speaks, voice trembling, tears escaping his closed eyes. "I'm sorry, Harry."

And that's all Harry wants to hear from his husband, apparently, his one and only Louis.  _His apology_. And that's all it takes as well for him to shift on his position in bed to face Louis completely; he nestles his face and nose against Louis' exposed chest and breathes him in, all of him. "It's all right, Lou," Harry tells him softly, genuinely. "I know you tried, I know you love me, and that I have faith in you. Perhaps I just felt left out... but, that's fine now. I am fine now. Let's just go to sleep, yeah? Besides, I missed you."

Hearing that, Harry's sincere words cradling his heart, Louis smiles as he lets his tears dry. "And I'm always missing you, princess. You know that, don't you?"

"I know," Harry mumbles around an obvious smile, yawning.

"Goodnight then," Louis whispers, kissing the top of his head for the last time.

Harry hums. He curls in on himself as he lets Louis spoon him, and then he kisses Louis' hand. "Night, Lou."

 


	6. part six: best friends that are also married 💞

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t S i x:** _Best Friends That Are Also Married_

💘💘💘

Perrie takes out the bowl of popcorn from the oven and brings it over to the living room. Harry and Louis are cuddled on the couch, watching some film while Louis card on Harry's curls--that are heavenly bouncy and softer today, just the way Louis wants them. Perrie flops down next to them, crossing her legs, and then she hands Harry the bowl. "Thank you," Harry mumbles. They begin to munch on some popcorn, not taking their eyes off the telly screen.

"Who killed who?" Perrie asks, referring to the screaming guy on the film.

Louis stuffs popcorn on his mouth, responding to Perrie, "Paris Hilton died, some guy stabbed a post through her throat."

"Wow," Perrie muses, "I thought she'd last."

They're watching 'House of Wax', courtesy of Harry.

"Yeah, 'thought so too," agrees Louis.

"Sshh," Harry hushes them, "stop talking, you two. Trying to watch here." Louis and Perrie look to each other, bemused, and then they both burst with laughter. "What?" Harry asks incredulously, "I thought this film was good! Don't you agree?"

Louis shakes his head, grinning, looking down on Harry who's sitting in between his thighs, leaning against his chest, curly locks touching the tip of his chin, "Yeah, okay. It's a good movie, love, agreed."

"Oh, shut up," Harry scoffs, pouting. Louis pinches his cheek, laughing.

Right beside them, a dreamy sounding sigh is produced. And it was Perrie. "It's been years and I still think that you two are the cutest couple," she teases them, grinning silly.

Louis rolls his eyes, shoving her lightly, "Fuck off," he tells her. Harry blushes a deep red.

By the time the movie ended, they switch off the telly and stretch from their positions on the couch. "I'm going to feed Dusty," Perrie announces as she stands up. Louis dismisses her, nodding.

After some time, Harry looks up at Louis as he plays on his lips with his thumb and index finger--a habit of him when pondering--and Louis raises his eyebrows at that since he knows. "What is it, babe?" he asks.

"Think I'm going to call mum," Harry tells him, all innocent and wide-eyed and adorable. Louis' heart flutters against his chest, looking at him so closely like this on a fine evening. His cheeks are rosy, lips plump and red, and his Bambi eyes evergreen. Louis has this sudden urge to pocket him and never share him with the world. If only though.

"Sure, babe. Do you need to borrow my phone or?" He asks, taking Harry's hand to keep him from playing on his lips--those bloody irresistible lips.

"Yes, please," Harry says, squeezing his hand.

Louis nods, leans in and once and for all kisses him. "Okay, wait here, I'll go get it."

"Thank you, babe."

Louis steps inside their room and looks for his school bag (because it's where he left his phone last). When he sees it, he takes his phone from one of the pockets, and then checks it firsthand for messages just in case he got some.

It turns out he has about three texts: from Nick, talking to him about Harry (as always. Louis' actually starting to think that maybe he fancies Harry), from Zayn, and from Tessa. Ignoring them all, he goes back to the living room and flops down on the couch next to Harry. He hands over the phone, and then lets him call Anne. While Harry talks to Anne, Louis stays quiet next to him, just listening to Harry's words. "We've eaten dinner, mum, yes. And you? Oh, no, we're fine, see. Still going strong; there's nothing to worry about, really," Harry chuckles, his face going red.

 _How adorable, this cheeky fella_ , Louis thinks absently to himself, playing with Harry's sleeve. It's soft and it's pink, the fabric. The wooly jumper his mother Jay gave Harry on his 14th birthday. It looks smaller... Strange.

Perhaps because Harry's gone bigger now than before, so it's pretty fit to his body now.

"He takes good care of me, of course. Yeah, mum, he's here--right next to me," Harry says to the phone, looking at Louis suddenly, eyes sparkling with amusement. Louis smiles a little at him. "You want to talk to him?"

Louis points to himself,  _Me?_ , he mouths. Harry nods, handing out the phone. Louis takes it happily. "Hello, Anne?"

"Hello, darling!" Anne greets sounding immensely brightly. "How are you? You both eating right on time? How's Perrie?" She fires him multiple questions, and then she giggles. "Oh, jeez, I'm so sorry for blabbering, love, I just really missed you guys a lot."

Louis' face heats up, butterflies wriggling in his stomach. He loves Anne so much. The entirety of Styles. "Oh, it's all right, Anne, honest! I missed you too--Perrie and I do!" He tells her. "Oh, and we're all doing well here. We just had dinner--chicken curry. Perrie cooked, and it was fantastic, let me tell you. Also, we watched some film."

"That's great to hear, darling," Anne says and Louis can tell she's beaming. "Tell Perrie I miss her too, yeah? And what did you guys watch?"

"Will do! And we watched the film called House of Wax," Louis informs, chuckling, "Harry's the one who picked it." Harry sticks his tongue out at Louis when they looked at each other out of instinct.

Louis and Anne's conversation lasted a while. Louis asked about Gemma and Uni, Anne's new job, et cetera, until Anne decided she wanted to take a rest. And it was all worth it in the end. Louis and Harry bid their goodbyes--they all missed each other on both sides. And it sure is much better than having nothing at all, this catching up.

When Louis' shut his phone off and ended the call, he turns to Harry who's still sitting next to him. "So," Louis says.

"So," Harry echoes, eyes wide and lips parted.

Louis slowly leans in, his gaze shifting from Harry's eyes to Harry's lips, and then they huff out breath, having the other feel it against their chins. "Have you..." Louis trails off.

"Done my homework?" Harry supplies for him, voice raspy, knowing exactly it's what he's trying to ask him anyway.

"Yeah," Louis confirms, his voice soft, "so, have you?"

"Did it hours ago, Boobear," Harry tells him, mirthful all the sudden.

Louis pouts indignantly. "I told you to not call me that."

Harry snickers. "Call you what?" he asks, feigning innocence.

Louis gives him a look, deciding against arguing with him about calling him 'boo bear', and then just pulls Harry in and kisses him hard instead. "Help me with my homework, yeah?" he tells Harry, then he leans in and kisses him again, "Mrs. Tyler, I swear, is always out to kill me during History."

Harry chuckles, white pearls flashing for Louis. "All right, c'mon, let me tutor you."

"In our room?" Louis asks, smirking.

Harry nods, grinning as he confirms, "In our room."

As they both get up from the couch, Perrie drops by to the living room and catches them shuffling to their feet to go to their room. "Use protection, lads," she jokes aloud.

Harry blushes, tells her as a matter-of-factly, "We're not going to shag, Pez, but thank you very much for the tip."

"No problem, Haz!"

"Yeah, yeah," Louis pipes, and then he pulls Harry in their room as if in a hurry.

Once they got in and had their door closed behind them, Harry immediately takes Louis by his arm and pushes him against the wall beside him; he leans in and kisses him hard, their teeth almost clashing over one another. Louis puts up with it right away and obliges to snake his arms around Harry's neck. He pulls him down, sucking and biting on his lips. Harry lets his tongue slip in between Louis' lips until he gets in, tasting Louis' own tongue. They make out passionately, like the usual expert kissers they are. When Louis pulls away, he continues on to plant some wet popping-kisses all over Harry's chin, down to his neck, and then his slightly exposed collarbones. Harry stifles giggles as he bends his head, giving Louis some better access of his neck. He can feel Louis sucking all over his skin, leaving each spot wet and swollen, giving him love bites. "I," Louis says in between smooches, "love," another smooch, "you. So much," he finishes, adding yet another love bite to Harry's neck.

Harry totally giggles now. "I love you so much, Boobear," he tells him in a teasing way, voice low and slow.

Louis grits his teeth against Harry's collarbones and Harry can absolutely feel it. Uh-oh...

"I told you to not call me that again, didn't I?" Louis mutters, his lips still lingering against Harry's skin.

Harry stiffens, his heart beat racing by the second. "Uhm. No?" he says, his voice coming off unsure and mischievous. He's biting his lip, keeping a giddy grin.

Louis looks up to him, eyes narrowed, and he's pouting, his lower lip jutted out in emphasis. "You know I hate that nickname, Haz."

Harry laughs. "I love it though. I think it's really adorable. Jay did a genius job of calling you that."

"No," Louis says petulantly, and then he lets go of Harry, walking towards their bed with a huff. He sits himself heavily on it.

Harry smiles fondly and follows Louis. He sits right across him and then he just stays quiet, giving Louis his moment. When Louis didn't utter a word, Harry finally scoots over, takes Louis by the back of his head and pecks his forehead lovingly. "Not going to call you that again," he promises softly against his skin. "Now, come on, let's do your assignment, 'else Mrs. Tyler will punish you and we don't want that."

Louis grins at that, slowly, genuinely. "Exactly what I'm thinking. You're literally the best, babe."

"That, I know," Harry agrees with a solemn nod. Louis laughs.

The both of them start gathering their school bags from their desks then, lay their needed textbooks, pens and notebooks all over their bed. Harry opens up one book entitled as 'Historical Events: The Great Britain' and crawls over to sit next to his spouse. Louis tentatively looks over to the book Harry is holding out to him and then they both read on to themselves, not making any disturbing noise.

As they carry on with learning, eventually Louis' started getting slightly annoyed and bored, beginning to jot down some notes and everything that's barely making any sense to him. Whenever Louis would ask something about the topic that he didn't understand, Harry would elaborate it to him--all detailed explaining, posture patience and fond green eyes. See, Harry is more into academic than Louis is ever was, and he's grateful that at least he's got the brains (little did he know that being intelligent is a hundred times better that any talent else). And what do you know, that must be Harry's advantage overall after all. While Louis' an ace with playing football, Harry's the smart one between the two of them (or the three of them, including Perrie). There's no way the two can go on with their middle school and high school lives without Harry guiding them or helping them with their homework. They would either get a C or a D if Harry would miss a week of not helping them out. Despite Perrie is studying in some school else--an all-girls, Trinity High--she still is relying most times to Harry in regards to her take-home activities and heavy projects (hell, especially if it's a Science project. Then no can do, Harry to the rescue).

Luckily enough, Harry is a 'lovely child'-- "You're such a lovely child, Harry, do you ever realise that?" Louis and Perrie once told him--and is always willing to help. Without any complain, he helps the two out, all the time; he loves it all the same, the feeling of giving hand to people, and so it's all alright in the end. Besides, if it's Perrie or Louis who needed his help, he'd always drop whatever it was he was doing just to come and fix them.

That's how he treats them.

Louis scratches the back of his neck as he eyes the last question Mrs. Tyler has got for him scribbled down on his notebook. He's sitting on the recliner now, one that's facing their study desk, after so long of getting tutored by Harry, and Harry's stayed on their bed to wait for his question firing regarding his History assignment. Louis spins around to face Harry by the bed after minutes of deciding he after all can't figure out what's the answer to the certain question he's been reading times and times from now. "Harry, I don't get this question. It says here that--," he cuts himself off briefly when his gaze drops to Harry. And, "Oh," he muses.

Harry's sprawled over their bed, books, pens and binders rounding him, his eyelids down, lips slightly parted, limbs dangling and breathing heavy yet steady. He isn't snoring, which is a bit surprising for Louis' part and, yes, he's totally fallen asleep.

Louis stands up from the reclining chair and carefully makes his way towards their bed then... Quietly, tiptoeing. Leaning over, he gathers all their stuff over and under the sheets, and then moves them all away. He fixes Harry's position in bed and strips him off his pants and shirt, leaving him with only his boxers. In the lieu of the situation at hand, Louis can't help admire Harry's ever building up torso--he's starting to gain some abs and biceps now, is the thing, and Louis thinks it's a marvelous thing. Besides the fact Louis thinks Harry's such an actual angel sent from above (because damn, the chocolate-coloured curls, massive bright green eyes, red full lips and breathtaking smile are just otherworldly), Louis also thinks he looks like a young, childlike model when sleeping. "Like, he's so oblivious of his surroundings," Louis mutters to the sereneness of the room, adoring a sleeping Harry, "such a cupid, that perfect, pretty face," he adds, caressing Harry's cheek.

Truth be told, Louis thinks Harry's the epitome of Christmas itself. With his green eyes like the colour of a Christmas tree, red lips like the colour of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer's nose, white pearls like the colour of snowflakes on a wintry white Christmas and lastly, brown curls like the colour of some Christmas barrels, Louis can proudly say Harry surely is the Christmas Holiday himself. And that's just how much he thinks highly of Harry's prettiness, his eternal beauty.

He's ridiculous. Abso-fucking-lutely so.

After Louis' tucked Harry in bed, he starts tidying their room off their school stuff once and for all. He decides he'll let Harry answer the last neglected question tomorrow when he wakes up, it'll be fine. Finished cleaning up, Louis strips out of his clothes and switches all the lights off. He climbs in bed and settles in next to Harry, scooting closer to him, and then kissing his temple. "Night, babe," he murmurs. Louis tries falling fast asleep after that.

When he finally did, he dreams of Harry, his birthday and, of course, Christmas day.

Better known as Harry day.


	7. part seven: go nasty toward anyone but him 💞

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t S e v e n:** _Go Nasty Toward Anyone But Him_

💘💘💘

Doodling food, drinks and just anything he can think of in a rather weird streak all over his notebook, Harry rests his chin against his palm as he keeps himself from completely falling asleep. Mr. Ludwig's been lecturing them about arts and craft and Harry can totally care less about it--he never liked art, and it's not like he's about to take such course in Uni that concerns art anyway, so.

When Harry yawned--once--he didn't know that Nick's been watching his every move the entire time, so Nick calls him out again like the usual thing the bastard ever does, and tells Mr. Ludwig he isn't paying attention to his class.

Niall and Liam sigh next to him. "Fucktard," Liam mutters.

"Mr. Styles, is that true?" Mr. Ludwig asks, looking at him directly from upfront, "Mr. Grimshaw said you're on your own little world."

Nick is snickering from where he is and Louis' subtly rolling his eyes in irritation. Nick is a dickhead.

"Uh, I...," is all Harry can say. It's half the truth, is the thing, Harry really isn't paying attention, so he can't give off some alibi.

"Well, well," Mr. Ludwig muses, "And I thought you're always one of my smart students here. I'm thoroughly disappointed, Mr. Styles."

Harry flushes, feeling embarrassed. He never expected that Ludwig's thinking highly of him. "I'm deeply sorry, Mr. Ludwig," he says then, voice small.

"Okay," Mr. Ludwig says, "Next time, pay attention--"

"Sir, wait!" Nick pipes in. Louis shakes his head next to him.

"Yes, Mr. Grimshaw."

"Shouldn't you put him on detention or something, sir?" he asks, mocking an innocent face.  _What an arsehole_ , Harry curses darkly in his head.

Mr. Ludwig hums.

**______________________________**

And so the inevitable happens; Harry was sent off to detention.

It's Harry's first time being in detention; the place is actually just like any other normal room, unlike what Harry's expected it to be, and like their classroom, it's almost the exact same thing. Except perhaps for the fact it's smaller and that the only students here are few and can be counted using just one hand.

Harry sees a total of four students; all seated on individual class chairs that are all at least 3-4 inches far away from each other. Here in this room, the teacher who's in charge is keeping the 'naughty kids' as far away from each other as possible, so no one will chat up one another while being punished.

With the duration of them having detention, all they can do is shut up, obviously, wait till their time is up and nothing more. It's pathetically boring.

As Harry walks further inside, all quiet and shy, he sits on one of the chairs he's spotted vacant. It's nearby the window and he's thankful for that. When he's settled, he slouches and looks down on his shoes.  _He freaking hates Nicholas Grimshaw_ , he declares in his head, not just hate though, but thoroughly hate.

"Hey!"

Harry hears someone hiss. He ignores it.

"Hey!" It hisses again. And he ignores it still. "New detention boy!"

Harry shifts from his seat to emphasize he doesn't want to give a damn about whoever is trying to get his attention.

"Hey, you! Curly!"

Harry finally looks up, making it clear he's annoyed by furrowing his brows, and then searches for whoever it is that's calling out on him in a hissing tone. "What the hell?" he hisses back.

"Hi," a girl says, her voice soft, facial expression totally beaming. Harry's furrowed brows slowly rise to his forehead when he sees the girl.

She has long waves of curls leveled to her waist, has light brown eyes and glossy lips. A pretty smile. She's sporting a skinny figure, long legs and smooth-looking tan skin and, yeah, okay, Harry knows who she is. She's the one and only Eleanor Calder--one of the hottest girls in the entire school, one of Tessa's cheerleading girl friends.

"What do you want?" Harry asks, attitude a little bit snappy. He's out of it, 'not in the mood.

Eleanor crosses her arms against her chest and huffs. "Well, I'm bored, is the thing."

"So?" Harry quips.

"So, I suggest you entertain me," she says easily, as though it's that simple. "Besides, we have like, a total of an hour here in this hell hole, so why not, eh? Come on, kid," Eleanor demands, leaning in towards Harry, "tell me something. Anything."

Harry cocks an eyebrow at her. "Why would I do that?" He says. "I mean... you don't even know me. We're not close."

Eleanor looks at him for a short moment, bemused, and then she laughs sarcastically after doing just that. "Oh, god," she says, "alright, alright. My apologies. Jeez. You're so formal. Right." She clears her throat, and then lends out a hand. "Hi. Name's Eleanor Calder, student from section A, 'been visiting detention for quite some time now and not attending cheering practices anymore--well, because they all suck--and you are, my friend?"

Harry stares at her hand, skeptical and a bit confused. But then after a moment, he finally reaches out and takes her hand with his. "Name is Harry," he says slowly, "Harry Styles. From, uh, section C..." After they shake hands, Harry questions her right away just because he got curious, "What do you mean by, 'been visiting detention for quite some time now and not attending your cheering practices anymore because, apparently, they suck'? And who are 'they' anyway?"

Eleanor purses her lips and heaves out a sigh of disbelief. She settles back on her seat and slouches against it in a manly manner, one leg crossed over one thigh.  _Wow_ , Harry muses in his head as he witnesses this, ' _never thought the Eleanor Calder, who is apparently all posh accents, glamorous features and girly tastes in fashion, is actually boyish in person_.

"Well," Eleanor starts, tone grunting and annoyed, "I've been bored of studying and studying and studying now, you see. My parents keep on pushing me to study hard--it's irritating, you know? And so here I am. Always visiting detention; I'll show them I could also fail--and that I'm not perfect all the time like they think I am--if they don't stop expecting big things from me. Like, straight A's. I'll let myself fail on purpose, that's what I'm doing these past few days," she explains, and then continues, "and about the 'not attending cheerleading practices', it's a whole different story, kid, and it's just a petty one, so I won't tell you about it anymore."

Harry nods, understanding. "Wow," is all he can say.

"That's all you can say?" Eleanor asks him incredulously. "I kept blabbering shit here and that's all you can say? Well, okay. Wow back to you, bro," she deadpans. Harry stifles chuckles, he can't help it. He finds Eleanor quite... funny. "What the fudge, Curly? What are you laughing about?"

Harry shakes his head, covering up his mouth, afraid he might burst in laughter. "Nothing, nothing," he says, "It's just that, you're so funny. That's all."

Eleanor mocks being offended. "Holy cow, curly kid. So, you think that speaking about my parents forcing me to be perfect--which I am not, so I can't supply them that--was a funny thing?" she says, frowning, although her tone is telling Harry she's only joking. "You hurt my feelings, you know. And to think that we only just met and you're already offending me. Rude, Harreh, very rude."

Harry finally bursts out laughing, whizzing in so much laughter.

"Hey, you two there!" The teacher in charge calls out. Both Eleanor and Harry look over. "Another hour of detention for you two! Understood?"

"Uh-oh," Eleanor mutters next to Harry, ducking her head low.

"This is all your fault, Calder," Harry mutters, but he's smiling silly.

"Hey, you two understood?" Repeats the teacher.

"Yes, miss!" They say in unison, grins plastered on their faces.

And so, it's another hour of detention for them. Joy.

By the time the other students have gone out the detention and it's just Eleanor and Harry sitting in the entire boring room, Mrs. Dolly tells them to behave so she'd cut short their duration of time. They swear not to talk then, and Mrs. Dolly tells them they're down to just 30 minutes of detention.

As time passes by, section C eventually takes their break and Harry's well aware of that. Sad, Harry thinks about how his mates Niall and Liam are now probably having their lunches shoved down their throats and that--

Right, Louis!

Harry's head snaps up to look through the door of detention, and just as he thought, Louis is looking at him from the other side of the door.  _Lou_ , mouths Harry as he looks at Louis from where he's sat.

"What the. Louis Tomlinson?" Eleanor scoffs, stealing Harry's attention. He looks at her almost instantly. "What's that footie jerk looking at? Wasn't he supposed to be taking his break or something? Why's he looking over here? Is he spying on us? Or is he making fun of us? Does he think being in detention is funny--"

"Hey!" Harry says, a bit snappy, cutting Eleanor off. "Shut up about Tomlinson, yeah? Just shut it."

Eleanor is taken aback. She looks at Harry in an utterly amused expression as she eyes him."Calm down, Curly, jeez," she muses, eyes wide and speculative. "What is it with you if I lash out on Tomlinson anyway?"

Harry's face heats up at the straightforward question thrown, and then he thinks  _uh-oh._

"Is he your friend?" Eleanor asks then, leaning in, eyes narrowed and lips quirked up. "Or, are you... gay for him or something like that?"

Harry licks his lips and swallows. "I... No, El. He's just. He's my--," he says, cutting word by word, feeling nervous, "--he's my classmate, see? So he's pretty much important to me. Yes, that's the only reason."

Eleanor backs away, crossing her arms, gaze still fixed on Harry. Harry's sweating now, and he hates it. He's never been good at lying.

"Fair enough," Eleanor finally says, nodding. "Well, I suppose I should say sorry for lashing at your...  _classmate_... then," she says slowly, emphasizing the word 'classmate'. "Sorry, Harry."

Harry exhales. He smiles a bit at that. "Forgiven."

Eleanor nods and says, "So, friends?"

Harry nods too, grinning, dimples showing. "Yep, friends."

By the time Harry's looked up to see if Louis' still standing from where he's first seen him, which is at the door, he finds he isn't there anymore.

Harry frowns at that.


	8. part eight: faith, trust, and pixie dust 💞

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t E i g h t:** _Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust_

💘💘💘

"See you tomorrow, mate," Liam tells Harry, clapping his shoulder as he and Niall make their way to the other side of the road, leaving Harry on his own. Harry waves at them as they walk, smiling. Harry watches his friends disappear from some alley before continuing on his way to the opposite side of the pavement, making sure they are out of his sight; no one must see. Once they've gone, he starts to jog, finally.

It's a Friday, is the thing, so no practices for Louis, and as far as Harry's concerned, he is sure that Louis' already at their meeting place by the tree, waiting for him. Even from afar, Harry can already see a figure of an 18-year-old boy, wearing the same uniform as his, red necktie dangling loosely around his neck..He's holding a black and white football in one hand, all feathery soft hair and a wide pretty smile, standing against some tree that they can almost call theirs: Louis; His Louis. Harry fastens his pace seeing that, finally mustering up his very own signature 'Louis smile'.

When Harry reaches him, Louis adjusts his bag on his left shoulder so it's firmly secure, and then holds his ball using his left forearm--to leave his right hand empty. Because then Harry is lunging himself on him, both arm wrapping around his neck. Louis holds Harry by his waist in quite a possessive way using his free arm, and they hug tightly. "Miss you," Harry murmurs against his neck, kissing him there.

Louis breathes in, loving the ever familiar scent of his husband. "I miss you more, babe," he murmurs back. Harry beams at him when they break apart and Louis takes that as a sign Harry must be feeling ecstatic today. Louis wonders why.

"Are we taking the bus today or?" Harry asks, still beaming, all white teeth and dimpled-smile.

Louis smiles lopsidedly, and then he shrugs. "Let's have it your way, Haz. Which would you like it to be?"

Harry claps his hands together, rubs them and stands in line to the bus stop. He looks at Louis and nods. "Actually, 'don't feel like walking today, Lou, so shall we just?"

Louis nods, willing himself to smile. "Okay."

They both wait for the bus, hand in hand. Harry's hand is soft against Louis', and it makes Louis think,  _hey, it's Harry, he's happy, and that should make you happy too. Don't think otherwise, Louis. Maybe it's just the fact that Nick or Tessa didn't make him upset today, that's why he's beamy and not the fact he's brought to detention earlier and had met someone there and talked with them in a rather intimate way..._

Louis shakes his head, letting go of the thought.

When the bus finally comes and stops in front of them, Harry practically pulls Louis with him as they both climb in. Louis can't really help himself to find it strange that Harry's acting so happy right now - his green eyes are brighter than usual, dimples deeper than usual, cheeks pinker than usual, and body language totally showing he's glad about something. Place, thing, person, happenstance, Louis doesn't know - and Louis thinks,  _fuck, who did this to my Harry?_  Louis' sure it isn't him that's made Harry all giddy like this, and that's a bit weird for him, heck it's absurd.  _He should always, always be the reason of Harry's happiness_ , he thinks rather selfishly, and wow, he doesn't like what's happening right now. Not at all.

The bus ride at home, as it turns out, is more of Harry talking and talking, telling Louis about how his day went, how boring it was being in detention, so on and so forth, while Louis' only listening and not responding all too much. And Harry doesn't seem to notice... or is it, he just really doesn't care.

**_____________________________**

Perrie's cooking when they arrived in the flat.

A mixture of chicken salsa and mushroom steak aroma are what greeted them. Harry sniffs in, dropping his bag from the doorway and toeing his shoes off quickly. "Wow," he muses as he inhales the air, "is that what I think it is? Pezza's cooking?"

"Welcome home, boys!" Perrie shouts from the kitchen.

"Mum!" Harry shouts too, sprinting his way over there.

Louis looks down at Harry's abandoned bag and shoes on the ground, and then he shakes his head with a sigh as he bends down to pick them all up, letting go of his ball and letting Dusty play with it by the living room.

When Louis' gathered all their stuff in both arms, he walks along the hallway and passes by the kitchen where he sees Perrie and Harry laughing at something, and then he proceeds to go to their bedroom to leave their stuff there.

Louis changes from his uniform to some pair of powder blue shirt and basketball shorts, and then he fishes out his ring from his bag and wears it. He goes toward Harry's drawers and picks him some pair of pink pyjamas and cotton shirt, and then walks out their bedroom with Harry's clothes in his arms as well as his ring when he remembers it's in Harry's pencil case. "Haz?" he calls out.

"Here, Lou!" Harry answers, voice muffled by mouthfuls of food, "Eating."

Louis heads to the kitchen and sees Perrie and Harry already eating side by side. Perrie raises a hand, motioning for Louis to join them in the table. "Mmph!" She tries between chews, "Hurry while it's hot! You can't miss a sizzling chicken, Louis! S'best!"

Louis suppresses a smile, and then he obliges, taking a sit across them. He places Harry's clothes and ring on the chair next to him and takes the spoon and fork at each hand; he starts eating too.

They eat in silence.

Until Harry finishes first, stands up from his chair and takes his clothes and ring from where Louis' placed them. "Thanks, babe," he tells Louis and kisses the top of his head. Louis nods, murmuring a  _you're welcome, babycakes_ and Harry grins at that, starts stripping right on his spot, wearing his clean clothes and his ring on his left forefinger. Harry discards his clothes to the laundry basket back in their room and comes back with a textbook in hand for reviewing purposes. He missed Mr. Ludwig's class from earlier after all.

When Perrie and Louis are once and for all done eating, Perrie feeds Dusty with some cereal and milk by the corner of the fridge and then washes the dishes right after. Louis on the other hand, sits with Harry by the couch and just rests his head against the armchair. Food comatose and all.

As time passes and Louis finally decides he's getting bored of just listening to Harry's soft murmurs of whatever he's reading, he stands up to check for their mailbox outside. Not so surprisingly, he sees quite a lot of mails, and two of which that are standing out because of their thickness and uniqueness from the rest of the envelopes gathered; the envelopes are brown and thick and Louis knows, their mothers have sent out some cash for them for their flat bills, upcoming errands and schooling allowance again. He smiles, thinking about his mum and his sisters, and yes, he's going to call them later, ask for their statuses and of course, to thank her.

Louis walks back inside the flat again and leaves the mails over the coffee table. "Money arrived," he says as he flops down next to Harry.

Harry looks up from his textbook and scoots closer to Louis. "Did my mum send us some too?" he asks, all wide eyes and innocence, and Louis just wants to kiss him right now, but decides against it. He's not in the mood for it... yet.

"Mhm," Louis nods, feigning caring less, "I suppose Anne did."

"Oh," Harry says slowly, "Okay, cool."

Louis looks at Harry, who is still eyeing the envelopes in his hand, and then admires the fact that Harry's eyelashes have gone so long, hovering over his pair of enticing green eyes, how he looks so innocent and kind like that, how he hurts Louis' heart just by getting close to other people, and how lovely he is that Louis cannot anymore, and just. Everything about Harry is what Louis is living for - everything about Harry that explains beauty and perfection accurately.

And then there's Louis, just gaping, adoring; and he feels his heart aching all the while, his itching hands wanting to touch his husband so bad, his itching arms wanting to wrap around his husband's waist so bad just to pull him near his chest and just never let go again. But, like, can't. It's crazy, out of the blue and a bit absurd, but fuck, that's just the way it is for Louis, and he doesn't even care if it's rather pathetic for such.

Then again, his mind is still telling him not to do it.  _No_ , it says, you can't want him for now; he still has some explaining to do.

Louis clears his throat to let go of his thoughts, and then places the envelopes over the coffee table. "So."

"So," Harry echoes, turning back to his textbook, "Have something to tell me?" he asks, catching Louis off-guard.

"Wha-"

"Because I can totally tell that you do, Lou - god, I can even hear your thoughts from here. Just spill it out, love, I promise you I won't bite."

Louis' face heats up, and he thinks,  _fuck, can he really? Like, hear his thoughts and all that? Sick!_ He swallows - he swallows hard - and then he gathers both his leg to hug them in his arms, looking down. "I just want to, uhm, ask about how... it felt like being in detention?" He asks it slowly, a bit stammering, feeling nervous and awkward. "I mean, you know, I've never been there - but, uh, I'm not bragging that I've never been, okay, it's just - I'm just asking. I'm, you know, curious and that entire sort, so..." He then trails off, looking at Harry's lap now, refusing to look him in the eye.

Harry heaves out a sigh, setting aside his book, lifts Louis' face by placing both thumb and index finger under his chin. "Lou?" he says, voice soft and caring. "Tell me, what do you really want to ask me? The truth. Please?"

Louis' heartbeat races as he and Harry stare at each other very intimately like this; he finds himself licking his drying lips, eyes unable to blink. "I..."

Harry smiles. "Well," he starts, sighing, "Being in detention is actually boring, Lou. It is, and it sucks being there. Not very interesting at all and, well, it's partially made me realise that I'm never, ever going to doodle in my notebook again, ever, and will forevermore pay attention to each lesson we have, even if Mr. Ludwig's subject irks the life out of me. There were only 5 students when I got there, you know, which is utterly discomforting and all and, yeah, it's extremely quiet, the room itself, I mean. There."

Louis nods. "That's it?" he murmurs.

Harry shrugs, letting go of his chin. "Dunno, Lou, that's all I can say, I guess?" he says. "Well, unless you have some more questions? - and I mean, specific questions."

Louis leans back, rubbing on his nose to mock subtlety, and then finally says after gathering all his might, "Well, I saw you earlier... You were, uhm, talking to this girl in there. I believe her name's-"

"Eleanor," Harry supplies for him, "It's Eleanor Calder, Lou, I know, 'one of the hottest girls in our school', yeah, so what's up with her?"

Louis' unable to speak, just staring at Harry.

And all right, yes, he may or may not be hating on himself right now, but what can a married boy do about such situation anyway, right? He can't help but get jealous, and he knows it's a little bit stupid - no, it  _is_  stupid - but fuck, he fucking is.

After a moment of killing silence, Louis finally tells him while looking directly into his eyes, "I was jealous, Harry... I was so fucking jealous, okay?" He swallows and then looks away. "Fuck, I couldn't help it. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

Harry winces, and then he holds Louis at each of his arms for him to face him. "No, Lou," he says, "It's all right, it's all right - I, I guess it's all my fault that I even talked to her in the first place. I mean, she did the first move, but that doesn't count, does it? I still responded to her talkative mouth and let her speak to me when she told me she was bored at the moment and all," Harry blabbers, sounding sorry, "I mean. I... I am so sorry, Lou. I promise to you I won't talk to any popular girl at school again." Harry hugs him, "Sorry."

Louis licks his lips, and chews at them as he lets Harry nuzzle his nose at the crook of his neck. "Haz..."

Harry peers over at him and he's got a pair of adorable puppy eyes, and well, okay, fuck, that's it for Louis then. He kisses Harry hard on the mouth, letting their chins press not-so-accordingly, slipping in his tongue in between Harry's soft lips in a very hungry way and then sucks for the taste of his wet and soft tongue. They make out, passionately, eagerly, and until Louis breaks the kiss to look at Harry's face again; he cups his cheeks with both his hands and whispers to him, "I'm such an idiot, Harry. I should've known better. Of course she was the one who approached you first and that you've got no intention of flirting with her whatsoever. Fuck, I'm such a dumbarse, I swear." He laughs sardonically and continues, "I'm sorry for not having enough trust and faith in you, my love. Forgive me?"

Harry bites his lip, and then nods, "Forgiven."

"I love you," Louis tells him.

Harry's heart is on his mouth, butterflies fluttering against his stomach and joy overtaking him.

"I love you too," he replies, finally.

And they hug.

At the corner of the room, Perrie smiles at her best mates, looking at them fondly, has been watching, and well, what should some girl act at such sweet moment like this anyway, right? She just stays quiet, feeling happy for the two, and wishing she has someone to love like that too.


	9. part nine: thou shalt not interfere 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t  N i n e:** _Thou Shalt Not Interfere_

💘💘💘

It's barely sunny out in the field today and Louis decides it's best to practice for a Wednesday morning, letting himself get dragged by his other team mates to have a bit of a footie match out where their other schoolmates can watch. He captains his team of three against Stan's team of four. Zayn is on his side of the team and so is Greg, while Stan's team contains of Milton, Ted and Barton. Louis tells his team to partake whenever they see Stan being on the other side of the goal, and always, always make sure that their team's goalpost is full-time guarded. "I'll take part offense," Louis declares, "'Gonna make sure Ted won't pass."

"All right," Zayn says and Greg nods in agreement.

The three of them huddle their hands together to have their short truce sealed, and then they scatter all around after that, just waiting for the game's starting signal, Greg guarding the goalpost.

After quite some time, the match eventually starts and Tessa's cheering squad starts performing as well, dancing and chanting.

The bleachers surrounding the open field starts getting filled with random watchers--some are teachers, some are from years Ten, Eleven, and Twelve nations, and mostly are from Sixth Form nation. They're cheering for the team they're supporting and whatnot, being loud and active.

Harry, Niall and Liam are there, wanting to see what the hype is about, just passing by. Harry smiles, having able to watch Louis play from afar, all over the field, releasing his athletic skills, kicking, sprinting, skipping, and just having fun. Louis really is so fucking good at playing football, is the thing, and Harry is so enchanted he gets to acknowledge that information in his mind without flailing. The fact that he can take it, is a little bit over the top. Bless Harry for still being able to cope with the reality of being married to an awesome footballer, who is also popular but still down-to-earth. One who is also a great son to his mother, who is also a kindhearted brother to his four sisters, and most especially a very, very fond and loving husband to a Harry.

"Tomlinson's really good, isn't he?" Niall muses next to him. "Bloke's always scoring."

"Yeah," Liam agrees, "his team's even won over everyone's support. You can hear everybody's cheering for him."

"Sure is sick. I wonder what his secret is. 'Always wanted to play football, m'self."

Harry smiles silently on his own, only nodding in agreement. Truth is, he doesn't know what his husband's secrets are as to why he's so good at football too. But that's fine with him though; he knows some things else about him anyway. Like, he knows Louis watches too much football matches and Grease on their telly back home. That he never wears socks in his shoes... loves pancakes and singing. That he is a very good kisser and drinks too much tea for his own good. He knows that Louis, and his heart flutters against his chest just at the thought.

Harry glances sideways to see Liam and Niall's reactions as they watch Louis hit goal. Niall is gaping and Liam is clapping along with the other viewers by the bleachers.

"Go, Tommo! Go, go, go, Tommo!" Cheers Tessa's cheering squad. Harry looks over at where they are cheering. And--wait a second. Harry blinks. One of them is looking right back at him. Huh. Narrowing his eyes at that one cheerleader, Harry slowly realizes that it isn't  _him_  who's being looked at. It's turned out that it's Niall.

"Mates," Harry says, nudging Niall and Liam. "Mates," he repeats.

"What is it, H?" Liam asks.

"Look at Melissa over there," he says.

"What's up with her?"

"Dunno. She's looking over here and, based on her body lingo, she's been looking over for quite some time now."

"Has she?" Liam muses, and then he narrows his eyes to check if it's, "Holy, she sure is. Why do you think that is?" he asks, amusement in his tone.

Harry looks at Niall and then he cocks an eyebrow at him, demanding for some explanation. Niall looks at him for a second without saying a thing, until he shrugs his shoulder and finally says, "I don't know, Harry. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Harry raises both his eyebrows now, "What kind of look, Niall?" he mocks.

"Oh, I don't know, Styles, maybe  _that_  look?" Niall snaps. "Look," he sighs, sounding frustrated, "I don't know what you guys are talking about, but I'm fucking outta here." With that, Niall walks away, leaving a flustered and confused Liam and Harry.

"Well, okay? He's a bit...snappy, I must say," Liam mumbles, turning back to the almost ending game.

Harry's still looking at the direction of where Niall's gone to, and he thinks to himself that something's not right. Or is it, there must be something that's been going on that he isn't yet informed of. Whatever it is, Harry is willing to find out, especially if it's involving one of his best mates.  _Yes_ , Harry decides, he will try his best finding out.

The moment Harry returns back to watching the match, Louis' team has already won. And well, that explains why everyone's cheering louder than usual. Harry smiles, happy for Louis too like the others are. As he claps his hands along the other supporters Louis has, he's caught by Louis' striking gaze all the way from the field, who is jogging his way to the benches to take a seat perhaps to have some hydrating from Gatorade. They smile fondly at each other despite their distance, and it only lasted for a few seconds until they both decided to break it.

Harry's gaze drops somewhere else, or to a  _certain_  someone, who is, surprisingly gazing at him too. His senses become alerted when he locks gazes with Eleanor from the other side of the bleachers; she's looking speculatively at him, arms crossed against her chest, and one perfectly trimmed eyebrow raised.

"Liam," Harry says, tugging at Liam's uniform.

Liam looks at him, says, "What?"

"'M feeling hungry. Let's take a break at the cafeteria," he lies, and then he reasons out, "Niall must be there. Plus, match is over anyway."

Liam nods without any protest, and Harry looks back for one last time to check over the field, just to see that Eleanor isn't at the other side of the bleachers anymore and has already gone. Which, well, that is weird...

**_____________________________________**

Harry and Liam meet Niall at the cafeteria--yep, just where Harry's predicted where he'd be. Niall loves food, so--and they dine with him at their usual table.

Harry settles on some apple, chips, salad and milk, Liam's gone for some burger and orange juice, while lastly, Niall's having half of the cafeteria's today's menu (hyperbole intended). The cafeteria's only filled of quite a few students at the moment, probably because everyone is still outside, considering the game's just ended a few moments ago and Harry supposes that's a good thing.

It's peaceful, that's why... Or  _was_ peaceful rather, since Louis and his team mates has began their way to the cafeteria to take their breaks as well. Which instantly means Tessa and her cheering squad having gone with them, making some loud noise, chanting the football team's name as they follow suit along the corridors, other Sixth Formers alongside them.

Harry looks up from his salad to watch them barge through the cafeteria's entrance; he and Louis immediately make an eye-contact, until they break it shortly right after again like they're used to do.

When Harry looks back to his plate in front of him, he finds it suddenly empty, which shocks him, causing his brows to knot. With that, he looks up to shoot Liam and Niall a  _look_ , but then when he sees them shaking their heads indicating they weren't the ones who took his salad, Harry comes off puzzled. "Bloody hell?" he says, frustrated.

And then, "Hi!" Someone beams next to him.

Harry glances sideways, and then his eyes widen, "Eleanor?"

"Well, well," she says, amused, "you remembered me then. That's brilliant, my detention buddy."

Harry rolls his eyes. "I demand for my salad to return, lady," he deadpans, "and I mean it."

Eleanor reaches out and pinches Harry's cheek. "Aww," she coos, "look at this pretty boy, such a joker." Harry swats her hand away, scowling, although Harry's a bit smiling too. "Anyway! What do you guys do for fun? And I mean, you two," she says, pointing to Niall and Liam, "because I am not sure if I want to know what this Curly Bambi-eyed boy here does for fun. I don't even think he's up for any fun at all."

" _Hey_ ," Harry drawls in protest, "I  _am_ up for fun!"

Eleanor rolls her eyes, huffing. "Whatever."

"Whatever back to you, bro," Harry mocks, copying her line from the other day.

"Copycat!"

"Not!"

"S'too!"

"Not!"

"S'too!"

"S'not!"

"S'too!"

"S'not!"

"S'too!"

Liam and Niall stare at them as they bicker like the immature kids they are. And it lasts for a while.

Eleanor covers both her ears and chants, "La la la la--not hearing anything the Curly boy is saying!"

Harry leans close, saying, "Look who's talking. As if she doesn't have curly hair herself."

Eleanor removes her hands from her ears and glares at Harry, and then she shoves his arm. "Fuck off."

Harry laughs.

"Okay, okay," Niall interrupts them, cutting through, "wait, so I'm a little bit confused here, guys, but what the fuck is going on?"

"Yeah," Liam says slowly, eyes wide and flustered, gaze averting from Eleanor to Harry across him, "Harry is close with  _the_  Eleanor Calder from section A, is that it?"

Eleanor and Harry look at each other, and then they return their attention back to a confused Niall and Liam in front of them. "We're not close, nope," they say in unison.

"--No way are we close," Harry adds.

"--Not a chance," Eleanor interjects.

"Okay," Niall says, "this is fucked up. I don't get you two."

"Me too," Liam mutters.

"Look," Eleanor sighs, "here's the thing, Harry and I, we just met in detention, see--"

"--She was bored, she told me--"

"--And Harry was this weird new detention boy there and I swear, he's so--"

"--and this girl right here is so, so talkative and, like--"

"--oh shut the bloody hell up, you weirdo, I'm not!"

"--No! You shut up!"

"You shut up!"

"No,  _you!_ "

"You!"

"Shut the fuck up, both of you!" Niall yells, stopping the two, "Jesus, mates! Shut it! Seriously!"

Harry and Eleanor snap their mouths shut and duck their heads low, blushing, "Sorry," they both murmur, "-Mr. White boy Cutie," adds Eleanor. Niall blinks at her, face flushing a deep red.

"Okay..." says Liam slowly. "I... still don't believe what's happening here right now?" he mutters, and it comes off as more of a question rather than a statement.

"So you both mean to say," Niall starts, pointing at them, "that you met in detention, and that you chatted, right. Okay, well, that's just weird, let me say, because I've been in detention but we weren't allowed to talk. Like, at all."

Eleanor crosses her arms against her chest and leans back a bit. "We hissed, kid," she explains, "Have you not heard of that sort of technique when you're in some kind of an area where talking to each other is absurdly prohibited? You know, like, the whole hissing, whispering and all that loser thing? Oh, come on." She huffs.

Liam tries to keep a giddy grin, biting his lip--across from Harry, who is also keeping a giddy grin to himself, and well, yeah, they both find Eleanor surreptitiously hilarious.

When Niall didn't respond to Eleanor's rhetorical answer, she decides leaving it at that and instead starts finishing Harry and Liam's lunches without anyone's permission. The three of them stare at her with wide eyes and agape mouth, as though she's some kind of, like, a very famished homeless puppy that hasn't eaten for months with the way she's shoving mouthfuls of food in her tiny mouth.

Once Eleanor's done eating other people's food, she settles back on her seat, rubs her flat tummy, and lets out a very satisfied burp. "Whoa," she breathes out, grinning, "Thanks for the meal, boys. Loved it."

"Right," Niall starts, inhaling and exhaling deeply, "Firstly, you eat a damn lot, lady, which, speaking of which, I'll be pointing out my second retort--you, Eleanor Calibre or whatever it is your surname is, is  _not_ very ladylike, nope, not at all. And! Lastly, you burp loudly. Like a man." Leaning in, Niall continues, "So tell me, why do people at our school even think so highly of you? I mean, they say you're one of the hottest, one of the smartest, and one of the most behaved students around here, but. Well, just like I've said, you're in no way near those, no offense. So..."

Eleanor stares at him for a millisecond, before bursting with laughter. "Oh my fudging fudge! That's like, the most accurate speech I have ever been told, kid! God, thank you, thank you!" She leans in and kisses Niall on the nose, to which he blushes about, and settles back down again so she can carry on laughing.

"What' I do?" Niall hisses to Liam, face red, "What' I did?" He asks Harry. They both shrug, clueless and dumbfounded.

"You know what, that's exactly my point, Mr. White boy Cutie!" Eleanor exclaims. "I mean, just look at me! I am not perfect like people's always thought of me. And that, my friend, is what I've been trying to prove my wealthy parents, see! I want them to realise that their daughter doesn't want to be one of those bimbos that dress themselves so perfectly, act so gracefully and eat so poorly."

"So, you mean to say, this is what you want yourself to be then?" Harry pipes in, "To be this... girl, that eats loads like an animal, behaves like a tomboy, and spends so much time in detention?"

Eleanor nods. "Precisely, Curly."

"Wow," Liam muses, "you're a sad, sad lady."

"Maybe, yeah, and it's not so bad, you know."

"Right."

Eleanor, Harry, Liam and Niall spend their time talking some more about Eleanor's new behavior, until it's the end of their lunch break that they end it. They gather their stuff as bell rings, walking out the cafeteria to go back to their designated classrooms.

While Niall and Liam talk about something else on their own, walking ahead of everyone, Harry on the other hand strolls quietly behind them, thinking to himself. Out of nowhere, Eleanor pops up beside him, walking as well, "Hey," she says.

"Eleanor. What do you think you're doing following us to our room?" Harry asks straightforwardly, not bothering to look and see if it really is her.

Eleanor shrugs, and then says casually, "Well, actually there's a reason why I dined with you guys earlier. S'not just about the bantering and all the meaningless stuff."

Harry snaps up his head and shoots a suspicious look at Eleanor. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Eleanor smirks, giving him a knowing look. "You think I don't know, Harry? You think I'm only about being dumb and carefree?" She asks him, her voice husky and gaze a little bit devilish as though she's aware of something Harry supposes she shouldn't be.

Just then, Harry remembers from earlier back in the field; how Eleanor's given him that look from when they've caught each other's gazes from either side of the bleachers. Harry's eyes widen and then he stops walking. Niall and Liam both go inside their classroom, leaving him and Eleanor out by the corridor. Looking at Eleanor, Harry hastily grabs on her wrist, quite roughly for that matter. "Hey!" She protests, trying to wriggle out of Harry's grip, but obviously to no avail, and before she can protest some more, Harry drags her to the nearest loo.

"Tell me," Harry says sharply, " _what do you know?_ " He's looking at her intensely, eyes piercing through her own, and yeah, Harry's pretty much furious about this. All hell will break loose if ever Eleanor's known about his and Louis' relationship, that's for sure.

"I don't--I don't know, Curly,  _okay?_ " Eleanor snaps, and then she slips away with Harry's firm grip on her. Recomposing herself, she sticks both her hands at each of her hips and narrows her gaze toward Harry. "So, I don't know  _know_ , Harry, but instinct is telling something, right. It's the fact that you and Tomlinson, like, somehow have this kind of connection--I'm not sure yet what the hell is it, but I just. I'm  _sensing_ it, all right? So, you tell me because I'm bloody curious and no, I'm not just saying this 'cause'o that, but with the relevant reason of that being important to discuss." She sighs. "Here, let me rephrase it; what is it that I don't--oh, scratch that-- _we_ , I meant, everyone at our school, including the teachers and your best mates, Harry, that we don't know?"

Harry's throat is drying, his eyes are wide, breathing shallow, and his skin complexion is turning a tad pale. He can't quite find himself to talk. This is intelligence and over-analyzing Eleanor's done and Harry isn't sure he can get away with this one. "What...How...You..." is all Harry can reply to her.

"What; I don't fucking know what you're talking about with that one. How;  _you_  snapped at me when I lashed out on him back in detention--as though he's so damn precious to you, despite he only is your  _classmate_ , you once told me yourself by the way--and the other one would be what happened earlier today during his footie match. You were watching him with a pair of heart eyes while he did the same to you, specifically when they finished. So that's how I started speculating, Harry. Lastly the You; let me say, you are weird, and I'm positive--a 101% sure--that you're gay for him. So, did these answer your breaking statement?"

Harry backs away, not saying anything at first as he processes everything Eleanor's laid for him. Surely however, after what seems to be a decade, Harry finally looks up and fixes his gaze on Eleanor, and then asks, "What do you want from me? Seriously?"

Eleanor stares right back at him, not saying anything.

Thus silence takes over. From a joking posture and features filled with sarcasm, all the sudden, the commotion isn't funny anymore. The matter isn't easy anymore and all the sudden they're now both looking serious. "Harry, I'm sorry, I... I mean, if this is such an important matter to you--I, fuck, I'm such an arse, god, I'm so sorry--"

"Shut up," Harry snaps, looking all serious, voice low yet steady, "just shut up."

Eleanor does shut up, frowning, taken aback by this serious side of Harry. She's never thought it would come this. She supposes she takes everything so lightly she isn't capable of realizing that some things do matter to some other people too. Like, even with those who are gentle and kind hearted like Harry.

"Listen, Harry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it--" she really didn't, but.

"No, Eleanor," he cuts her off, "no, you are not sorry at all, you hear? This conversation never happened too, see, and yes, we are never friends. You have a nice day." With that said in one breath, Harry leaves her all alone, goes back to his classroom and sulks on his own with the horrid thoughts running in his head the entire time, and until the whole duration of the class for one day is over.

He and Louis went home a little later without so much of a conversation.


	10. part ten: quality time with the tomlinsons 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t  T e n:**   _Quality Time With The Tomlinsons_

💘💘💘

Perrie and Louis are sitting against each other on the couch by the living room, watching Louis' favorite show,  _Grease_ , Perrie leaning on Louis' hard chest with her back and Louis making room for Perrie in between his thighs; she lets him braid her bottle blond hair as they carry on with their gossiping--the usual thing they do on a fine Sunday.

"What time do you think Jay would come?" Perrie asks, chewing on a gum.

Louis shrugs. "Not sure, but I'm guessing she's no more than half a mile away from here," he feeds her, and then adding last minute, "oh, and the twins tagged along with her, by the way."

Perrie snaps her head up to face Louis with a wide grin. "Holy shit! Really?" She beams. Louis pulls at her hair. "Ouch! You fucker!" She wails, swatting his arm.

Louis chuckles. "That's what you get for not holding still, you twat, and yes, gosh, Pezza, 'thought you heard me the first time," he tells her, and then resumes braiding her now half-ruined hair. "Now, look what you did - my creation is messed."

Perrie giggles slyly. "Tosser."

"You're the tosser," Louis huffs, pulling at her hair again in a subtle way, pretending it's just part of his braiding. Perrie winces nevertheless.

_Another week has passed since Harry's conversation with Eleanor by the loos--about her speculating about him and Louis being something rather than just classmates._

Harry's been trying to move on from it, heck he surely is, although whenever he and Eleanor would cross paths by the hallways at school and or whenever it was their break time and they'd accidentally steal glances from one another across the cafeteria, he would always, always have the memory flashing before his eyes. As though slapping him right across the face and waking him up from the reality that, at least one from Fargo High School may or may not be aware of the fact that he and Louis might be having some sort of a not just common connection, but rather an intimate and a lovey dovey one at that.

It's been driving Harry insane lately to the point he wants to cry. Aside from the unfortunate fact that no one--and by no one, he means totally zero--should know about it, Harry supposes it's half his fault that Eleanor's almost on her way of finding out about the tad real reason behind his heart eyes for Louis Tomlinson. One who's known for being the popular footballer and is supposedly single from section C--in which as well, everyone is expecting to be damn  _straight_.

 _Of all people_ , Harry thinks dryly,  _why would they choose to think Louis is one of the straight boys?_  Absurdity, total absurdity.

Anyway, it's already been a week, so Harry is a bit fine now, but yeah, the thoughts of his and Eleanor's crumbling friendship is still gnawing at him somehow. Nevertheless, he tells himself every day,  _I can manage_ , so it's cool he supposes.

Harry's just woken up and it's already three in the afternoon. Louis finds it a bit odd, but he never comments on it. With a pint of Double Dutch ice cream in hand, Harry strolls out from the kitchen to join the two of the most important people in his life, those whom are watching Grease and are being the best mates they are to each other.

He sits next to Louis as he approaches, kisses him straight on the mouth once he's settled, and then leans back to watch with them in silence.

"So," Louis starts, leaning closer to Harry when he's done braiding Perrie's blond hair. She's gone to admire it on the mirror back in her room now.

"Mhmph," Harry responds, frozen ice cream in his mouth.

"I've been noticing, you're a bit out of it these past few days. What's going on, Harry?"

"What y'mean," Harry asks, or more like he's muttered rather than he really asked. If it's about Eleanor Louis' finally noticed that has been bugging Harry's innocent mind, then Harry isn't sure he wants to talk about it.

It's not like Harry's guilty about something that's involving Eleanor and him under the category of being more than just friends now--nope, quite the opposite actually because they're not speaking to each other at all, and are taking their distance--but Harry just really doesn't want to speak about anything that's Eleanor, because then he might spill some words about, well, about Eleanor being halfway of knowing about the truth about their relationship. That would only fuck everything up, Harry's dead sure, so no way will he let Louis make him talk about it.

"Oh, I don't know, Haz, how about you tell me, hmm?" Louis says, quite amused.

"But I don't know what you're talking about, Lou," Harry whines, pouncing lightly on his thigh, "honestly." Stuffing some more ice cream in his mouth, he leans in towards Louis and sticks his tongue out, "Here, taste this instead."

Louis scrunches up his nose at Harry, finally expressing a laugh, "Ew, no! Harry, gross!"

Harry laughs, dimples deepening at each his reddened cheeks. "Oh, come on, Lou, don't you want to indirectly eat some ice cream off me?" He teases. "I bet it's fun."

Louis' about to duck in to lick some ice cream off Harry's tongue when a loud smack colliding against Harry's head cuts the crap; Louis looks up to see it's Perrie. "You filthy little dork," she tells the Curly lad, "You're a bad influence to my personal hairstylist, do you know that? Keep your indirect ice cream-eating to yourself."

Harry snickers, and so does Louis, and then they scoot to make room for Perrie. "You guys want to watch something else?" Harry asks casually, resuming with his pint.

"Nope," answers Louis, leaning in close to him, "I want to proceed with that indirect ice cream-eating actually."

Harry flushes, and then he looks over to Perrie, who is also looking with a pair of ridiculously wide eyes, crystal blue  _orbs_ \--literally--doubling over with shininess. No one moves, Harry still looking at Perrie as though he's asking for her permission. "Oh, fuck off you two," Perrie finally says, laughing, shifting from her position to another. "Do whatever the fuck you want, I'm just going to wait for the twins here."

In the midst of Harry and Louis' making out with the ice cream melting against their tongues, Harry's finally sunk in what Perrie's said, and it makes him break the messy snog with Louis with a loud popping sound. Louis whines in protest. "The - the twins are coming? You mean to say,  _the Phoebe and Daisy twins_  twins?"

Before Perrie could confirm it and scold him  _yes, idiot, where have you even been?_ , multiple knocks on the door erupt and it makes her whip her head towards its direction. "Oh, that must be them!" Perrie beams as she shoots up from the couch.

Louis and Harry stand up as well and race their way toward the front door. Perrie opens the door and the three of them beam on the one and only Jay. "Good day, sons and daughter!" She chirps.

"Mum!" Louis chimes, going forward to hug his mum, but Perrie beats him to it, and well, Louis won't let her win his mum over, so he puts up a fight and still tries his best to hug Jay despite Perrie practically lunged at her. Jay makes an  _oomph_  sound.  _Poor Jay_ , Harry thinks to himself as he watches the commotion.

While the two fight over who first hugged Jay, Harry sees the twins behind their mum, looking all quiet and behave. His eyes twinkle in joy almost instantaneously, grin widening like Bambi's, and then he beckons for the twins to come over to him as he kneels on their level. The twins happily oblige. "Harry!" Phoebe squeals, jumping and giggling--must be the fact she's bottled up the excitement so long to herself while her mum's reprimanded them to behave their best. Harry spreads both his arms with that, so glad to see his sisters-in-law. Daisy and Phoebe hug him with their cute and tiny limbs and Harry hums in appreciation.

"I missed you two so, so much!" Harry coos against their softy blonde hairs, "How are you both? How's your other sisters?"

Perrie, Louis and Jay look at the three hugging before them and all they can do is smile, smile and smile. The view is simply irresistible and adorable--with Harry's bright green eyes, beaming at the twins, and the twins doing the same. Harry's genuinely missed Louis' baby sisters and he's willing to spend the rest of his time with them without hesitation.

"We missed you too, Harry!" Daisy chirps, "I missed your curly hair too. Oh, and Fizzy and Lottie are at home--they're tired."

"Tired?" Harry asks blithely, chuckling. "Why would they be tired? Is that some kind of excuse to keep them from seeing their cheeky older brother and pathetically attractive brother-in-law? Which is yours truly, by the way." Harry winks at them.

The twins tripled over in laughter. "You're my favourite, Harry. Honest," Daisy tells him, giggling.

"Aww," Harry coos, cheeks rosy red.

"Hey, I thought I'm your favourite though," Perrie protests lightly, pouting as she too kneels down to level with the twins. Louis does too and now they start speaking to the twins about--just anything, really.

Jay finally steps up and greets Harry, "Hello, dear."

Harry stands up with a big smile on his face, and then he hugs Jay. "I missed you, Jay," he tells her warmly, "You alright?"

Jay nods, rubbing his back. "I'm fantastic, dear. And yourself? Right on time taking your meals? You, your husband and Perrie?"

Harry blushes at the idea of Jay saying  _you and your husband_ , which makes him nod vigorously as retaliation. "Oh, of course, Jay," he says, chuckling, parting from the hug, "Thanks for checking. Say, Louis eats like a vacuum cleaner actually, and well, we all know Perrie. She eats like a bulldozer." Jay laughs, eyes closing.

Perrie snorts from where she's kneeling. "Well, thanks, Harold. 'Not going to cook you some chicken salsa again then."

Harry chuckles, shaking his head. "Oh, you know you wouldn't do that. You love me!"

"I  _loved_  you. Past tense, so nada salsa for you," Perrie counters.

"Okay, okay, that's enough for introduction and bantering, yeah?" Louis says, standing up with Phoebe in his arms. "Let's see," he faces Perrie to give her Phoebe, "I think you four should go to the backyard and play or something--so you and Harry could rekindle your 'broken' friendship and that entire sort, whatever it is, while mum and I talk about stuff and cook everyone supper."

Perrie takes Phoebe from Louis without any sort of protest but a pout, and Louis and Harry kiss each other--which has earned them some whining from the twins--before Harry takes Daisy in his arms too; the four of them go to the backyard just as instructed and start up some game.

Louis and Jay proceed to the kitchen and talk about his and Harry's status at school, about Fizzy and Lottie's ballet classes, about the twins' daycare tutorials, about Anne and Robin's engagement, about the weather and about what they'll be having for supper. While the mother and son bonding carry on, meanwhile, Perrie, Harry and the twins are having the best time of their lives.

"Hey, I heard Anne's going to marry your step dad?"

Harry nods absently, keeping an eye on the twins from afar. "Yup, 'suppose so."

"You all right with that?"

He shrugs. "'Suppose so."

Perrie pinches his thigh, making him wince. "Honest, Harold. 'Else I'll end our friendship's contract."

"Okay, okay, jeez, woman," Harry complains jokingly, rubbing the itching spot on his thigh where she pinched him, "Well, Per- _rie_ , I suppose I'm all right with it. Seriously. I mean, it's her life, you know? If she's happy with Robin, then I'm happy for her too--for  _them_ , rather. I'm fine with them getting married. Besides, I'm already happy with mine, so I guess it's time for them to be happy and contented with theirs too. That simple, Pez. Just didn't answer less vaguely earlier because--it's just that, I don't think it's really that necessary to talk about your mother's wedding."

Perrie chuckles. "I guess so. Fair enough."

Harry hums in response. The both of them quiet down for a moment after that, just watching the twins play on the background, skipping and laughing, jumping and squealing, being cute and cuddly, and until Perrie speaks again, "I was thinking, Haz, you think pink will suit me?"

Harry looks at her. "Pink? What do you mean? You're going to wear a pink dress? Going somewhere?" He gasps, and then he smirks at her. "A  _date_?"

"No, silly," Perrie says, laughing, "I don't even have a boyfriend--I was actually referring to my hair, Haz. Do you think if I dye it pink, it'll look good on me?"

Harry ponders for a moment, like he's seriously considering it, before he finally says, "I say purple--or lavender, whatever. Just, I think pink is quite mainstream, right, and purple may become a trendsetter. We'll never know."

"Hmm," Perrie hums, "I'm thinking...you might be actually right, Harold." She beams at him, "Thank you."

Harry wiggles his brows at her. "Not a problem, Pizza girl."

**______________________________**

At around 10 in the evening, the flat is already surrounded by peacefulness and eerie, comfortable silence. Perrie's back in her room, exhausted from taking care of the girls the whole afternoon until before dinner, Jay and the twins have gone home a little earlier as well (she'll only drive for a good hour, so it's safe to say they left early) and Harry and Louis are in their own bedroom now, sprawled above their bed.

They're tucked underneath the duvet, side by side and ready for some full time rest, eyes a tad heavy. They have school again tomorrow and they're way too knackered now for homework, so they decided to just leave it and cuddle instead.

"Scoot over, babe, 'going to switch the lights off, 'going to sleep," Harry mumbles next to Louis, squeezing closer to him. Louis bites on his lower lip, not moving, which causes to not letting Harry. "Hey, Lou? What's the matter? Don't fancy sleeping yet?"

Louis looks at Harry, who is half-hovering over him and swallows thickly. "Haz, I..."

"Hmm? What is it?"

Louis blushes, and then he motions for in between his thighs, and back to Harry's gaze. "'M hard..." he mutters shyly.

Harry doesn't get it, so he confusedly runs his gaze from Louis' embarrassed facial expression and down to in-between his thighs that's covered by the duvet, and, "Oh," Harry squeaks once he realizes it's Louis; Louis is in fact hard just like he said he is, and Harry, he turns bright red with that, feeling super shy. Louis is sympathetic toward him, so Louis pulls on his face to wrap his arms around his head and let him nuzzle at the crook of his neck--to help Harry hide his embarrassment. Actually, it helps Louis all the same. "Lou...you're...you have an erection?"

"Yes, I do," Louis murmurs, sighing, ashamed, blushing furiously.

Louis and Harry, despite their old antics and 3 year-old heart eyes for each other (not to mention marriage and are already husbands of each other), they still haven't done  _it_. Never, not even once. Not in the past, not in any moment soon, as well as not considering doing it yet. They think they're still too young for sex--well, anal sex, at least--because as far as they're concern, they've somehow done handjob, once when they showered together after a childish argument and loads of reckless abandonment, and well, it might be the most explicit they ever did then, they decided, also considering the fact they were only fourteen  _and_ sixteen that time. Pretty much young for a handjob indeed--they were even glad they've gone past the level of circumcision at the time.

So, Harry is feeling embarrassed right now, doesn't know what to do with Louis' hardening dick underneath him and doesn't know how to supply it with some of his attention (it needs his attention, of course) and it's somewhat affecting Harry mentally. He doesn't want to disappoint Louis, is the thing, so he says, voice failing, "Do you want to have sex, Lou?"

Louis laughs, finding the question ridiculous and not saying anything about it, just laughing at it while Harry continues anticipating. After seconds of not chaining up that touchy question, Louis stops laughing, Harry not talking and well, all the sudden it isn't funny anymore--nothing's funny anymore.

The room falls silent, the only noise being from the semi-static sound of their bedside lamp, their heavy breathing combined together and their every so often drool-swallowing also combined together. Louis nudges Harry's cheek with his shoulder gently, urging for him to look up to him. When Harry did and left his neck cold, Louis asks seriously, looking straightly into his eyes, "How about you, do you want to have sex? Right now?"

Harry blinks, incapable of uttering out a word or just anything at all that matters; he's just really not sure what to say. Moments later, Louis decides and takes that as Harry's not ready yet unlike him, who has been ready for making love with his husband these past few days now, and just pulls Harry's head back in to kiss him softly, wetly and memorably. Harry kisses him back, closing his eyes tightly and humming appreciatively. When they pull away, Harry sighs. "I'm sorry, Lou," he tells him, "really sorry. I can tell you're so sure about this--about us taking our relationship to the next level, but--"

"Harry, baby," Louis cuts him shortly, and Harry looks at him with a pair of adorable Bambi eyes. "It's fine, okay? It really is."

"You sure, Louis?"

"Yup. And what do you even mean by  _taking our relationship to the next level_ , Harry?" Louis asks mockingly, giggling. "Aren't we already at the very top of all the levels of our relationship? We're  _married_ , Harry--we're at the tip of it all, babe. Besides, we have all the time in the world anyway, right? We can always make love some other time--at anytime so it's cool with me."

"Agreed," Harry says, finally smiling a genuine one, his pair of dimples showing again, "Harold and Lou bear have about...let's say...forever, yeah?"

Louis nods, wiggling his eyebrows. "Yeah."

Harry urges down for another round of passionate snogging with Louis, cornering him in between his elbows and arms; he licks and sucks at Louis' upper lip as he lets Louis suck on his lower lip. "Love you," Harry murmurs against the kiss, biting on Louis' lip and letting his tongue slide in his mouth right after; their tongues touch.

"Ditto," Louis replies after a while, cupping Harry's cheeks and rubbing his thumbs against his soft, milky skin, just appreciating.

By the time they pull apart, they never noticed how Dusty's made it inside their room, and before they know it, she's already in between them, making a room for herself on their bed, settling down. "Meow." She purrs.

Louis and Harry stifle their giggles, Louis covering his mouth as he does so, both of them looking at the cute grumpy cat by their bed. Dusty, however, doesn't seem to care if they're laughing at her and just continues to tune them both out, carrying on sleeping and snuggling with her tail. "Well, well, I think that's our cue."

"Definitely," Agrees Louis, and then he switches the bedside lamp off. "See you in the morning, Haz. Night."

"Mhmm. Night."

 


	11. part eleven: not everyone is as bad as they seem 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t  E l e v e n:** _Not Everyone Is As Bad As They Seem_

💘💘💘

The days have gone on quite fast for everyone and before they know it, it's already the month of October, day 9.

The weather has become cooler all around England, and although the air is dry and not the kind of cold that'll leave your palms sweating, it's still mind-settling nevertheless.

Everyone at school is very excited about this month of the year as it turns out, because apparently, they celebrate it the way they like it in a yearly kind of manner. Zayn, being the president of section C, is called to stand in front to inform everyone about the upcoming event that will be held at their school's  _AVR_ , by the end of the month and up to the first day of the next month, which is November.

"So," Zayn starts, "Listen up, mates. This coming end of October, we will be having a Halloween party --," everybody roars in cheers and fist-pumps the air having heard those few, to which Zayn takes a few moments to pause at, and until it quiets down again that he continues, "-- a party, that will be held up there, in our  _AVR_. The teachers, and so are we, the presidents of each section will be having a bit of a meeting later on and obviously, we will as well be the people in charge of this event. By that, it means no cocktails but only mock tails --," there is a chorus of booing and aww's of disappointment from everyone, but Zayn proceeds regardless of it all, "-- although! Quiet, children!" Everyone shuts up. "As I was saying, although there will be no alcohols allowed in the venue, take note of it,  _the venue_ ," Zayn winks at that, "only at the venue-"

"Mr. Malik," Mr. Brenneisen warns.

Zayn flushes as he looks at Mr. Breinnesen, and then he resumes with a mocking cough, "Uh, on the brighter note, you can bring girlfriends or boyfriends--just in the name of having someone to partner with at each slow song, that is. Uh, so yeah, you can bring outsiders then. If you know what I mean? Like, your friends that studies schools else, or maybe your college brothers or sisters."

While Zayn continues on with his blabbering upfront, meanwhile at Harry, Niall and Liam's tables within the classroom, Niall like the natural  _I don't give a flying fuck_  kid he is, isn't actually listening nor is paying a bit of his attention to anyone at all, Liam as well since he's practically glued with texting someone from underneath his table, and of course, there is Harry.

Harry who, apparently, hasn't heard a thing or two about what Zayn's announced or rather yet announcing.

Harry's not feeling well, is the thing, and he's been having it since he's woken up this morning (he just didn't tell Louis or Perrie about it, because he didn't want them to worry. Although he guesses now he did the stupid thing).

His throat hurts like shit, to the point that he might pull on someone else's hair, his taste bud dreadful and bitter as is, and his eyes, forehead and just his whole body are coated of sickening warmth. He can't feel his toes and fingertips, and whenever he blinks, even if to just adjust his visions, he'll feel nauseous and his head will ache every second.

"You think if I've shoved a girl away after she's kissed me--but after I've told her I like her too, right--you think she'll hate me forever and will never speak to me again? If you think so, what do you suggest I do?" Niall asks out of nowhere, fidgeting and can't sit still. He sounds nervous and panicky at what Harry can at least tell despite his condition, and he doesn't even know what to advise him at this case. Well, because for one, Harry's never had no girl he liked before to begin with (considering the fact he and Louis have known each other way back in their childhood days and that they fell for each other's trap in quite an early age, so Harry didn't get the chance to court any girl at all in his solitariness). Second of all, which is the most important of it all, Harry is feeling sick and he's afraid his mind isn't functioning well at the moment, so in that case, Harry answers Niall with a  _hrmmphf_  and a shrug.

The Irish boy grunts in return, slumping his face against his desk. "You're no help, Harold. What is even up to you? You've been no-talk since you got here."

Harry blinks softly, breathing heavily and staring blankly at the specs floating in quite an alignment along the ray of sun that's creeping through the top window against the wall of the classroom. He's really not in the very least of it--he feels like dying actually. "Niall," he drawls.

Niall looks at him, confusion written across his facial features. "Harry, mate, you all right there?" he asks worriedly, "you sounded kind of...hoarse?"

Not being able to cope with his illness no more, Harry finally slumps down against his desk and just,  _yeah_ , he dozes off. Niall reaches out on Harry and when he touches the tip of his head, he retrieves his hand and winces. He nudges Liam with that and then they call for their teacher's attention to bring Harry to the clinic, because now they know he's got flu.

Louis, in front, whips his head faster than a speeding train to look behind him and he's quick to retaliate by swallowing thickly and gripping the edge of his desk as he eyes Niall and Liam carry Harry by his waist and shoulders. God, Harry looks so weak and pale and  _wow_ , Louis just feels like running for the hills at this. He's never seen an ill Harry for quite some time now AKA back when they were still living with their mothers, and he's never predicted for it to occur in a rather bad timing too--like perhaps,  _occurring here at their school_ , of all places.

Because by that, it means Louis won't be able do anything about it, can't help Harry on his own, besides watch... painfully and forcefully as he is being taken out of their classroom and down at the clinic by other people. Other students that are  _not_  him. Which, okay, that is just--a big slap on the face considering he's entitled to take care of  _his_  Harry.

Well, Louis still watches attentively even if it's tearing his ego apart, holding on to something he is practically gripping tightly as it seems, and until he hears Nick complaining at something that's hurting him, Louis then realizes it's Nick's arm after all he's holding on to for dear life. "Sorry," Louis mutters as he hastily lets go, not offering Nick a glance at all. Instead he continues to glare at the classroom's back door where Niall and Liam had brought Harry out.

**_____________________________________**

Harry wakes up after quite some time in the midst of their school doctor's chattering with her other patient by the clinic desk, which is just beside the curtain-divided room Harry is at. Harry tries standing up without making a noise, but his throbbing head betrays him and he groans lowly. "Bloody hell..."

"Oh! You're awake!" Harry hears the school doctor chirp. She rushes to him by the clinic bed as she pulls at the curtain divider. Harry squints at the sudden brightness of the light from behind her and the doctor notices that, so she apologizes curtly and pulls the curtain right back. She joins Harry by the other side of the room. "How's your head, bug? Still aching?"

Harry sits abruptly, leaning on his back against the headboard, and then nods in response. "Yeah. I'm...feeling dizzy, actually, and it feels as though thousands of Spartans are sticking their swords in my brain. Do I happen to have flu or something?"

The doctor giggles at Harry's metaphorical explanation--she's a cheeky one, Harry notes--as she takes a sit on the chair beside the clinic bed. "Well, you have a fever, my child, but you don't have to worry--nor your loved ones--because it's just a minor one, thank God. Although in your case, you have to get home and skip class for now. You should go and get some rest and drink plenty of water. If the temperature ever rises up, then I suppose your mother should know what to do with the current situation by then."

Harry licks on his lips as he nods, and at the back of his head, all he can think about is Louis. Harry assumes Louis must be freaking out by now--from what he can imagine, Niall or Liam must have brought him here and that Louis' witnessed the whole thing from afar. On top of that, he was not able to do something about it, which Harry knows Louis hates the most, especially if it involved his health; Harry would've done the same, of course, that is why.

"Who brought me here then?" Harry asks the doctor.

"Horan and Payne--your mates. They're really polite."

Harry nods, suppressing a small smile. "Oh, okay. Yeah, I know. They're the best, actually."

She stands up from the chair and smiles, clapping. "Lucky you then! Anyway, shall we take you away now? You should call your mum to pick you up."

Harry, though he knows he's got no one to call at this time of the day--not Perrie, because she's probably still at school and not Jay because she's on a different city and is far from here--he nods nevertheless, tries his best to stand, and pretends to contact someone with his phone. The doctor goes back to her desk and Harry starts to walk to follow her on the other side of the curtain divider. Just as Harry's pulled on the curtain and saw the cheeky doctor by her desk, his eyes widen all the same when he also sees Eleanor sitting on one of the chairs that's in front of the clinic desk. She's the other patient the doctor was talking with earlier then, Harry realizes only now, and thus he is suddenly out of focus because of that.

"What are you doing here?" he asks blatantly, isn't able to stop himself despite it not concerning his business.

Even if it's the case, and even if Eleanor is also aware of it not being Harry's business, she still looks as though taken aback and caught off-guard from where she's sitting, as though she is the one that's intervening here and not Harry himself. "Harry, it's, uh, good to see you," she says, her voice cracking--and well, yeah she's ill too, it seems. Harry fully notices that. "I'm here, because I have tonsillitis and Dr. Trina is prescribing me some antibiotics."

Nodding once, Harry doesn't reply after that and just proceeds to pretend he's contacting someone. Eleanor averts her attention to speak with Dr. Trina again then, leaving it at that: the part where Harry is still carrying on ignoring her after all this time.

As soon as Harry's done lying to the doctor about his mum supposedly picking him up, he finally looks at Eleanor and says, "It's good to see you too, El. Uh, see you then." Then, with that put out there, Harry thanks Dr. Trina, goes out the clinic and decides to just sit at the nearest bench before anything else. His head is seriously hurting and he doesn't know how he is supposed to get home by himself. Harry's thinking he should inform Louis he's heading home though, in spite of all the happenings.

Harry hears the door of the clinic swing open all the sudden and he knows, Eleanor is going to approach him. "Harry," she breathes out. Just as expected.

"Mmhmp," Harry laments, not really in the right mood to form a sentence or whatever.

Eleanor sits next to him, tucking some of her hair strands in her ears as she clears her throat. "I... Harry, can't you ever forgive me?"

Harry sighs, closing his eyes and rubbing at his temples in a circle motion. He rests his elbows over the caps of his knees as he places his head against his cooling palms. "Okay, Eleanor. I will forgive you --," Eleanor's face immediately lights up at the sound of that, but then Harry marvels on, "--  _only_  if you'd give me some sort of reason as to why should I."

Eleanor cocks an eyebrow then, although Harry can't really see her because he's got his eyelids down. Nevertheless, Eleanor swallows thickly, and before she can stop herself from being so deeply honest with this boy before her, the words from her mouth just slips, like waterfall. "Because Harry, I really, really want to become your best mate, okay? I mean, if it's ever fine with you, then I call  _bestest_  mate. I don't know. I just, I really like you, you know? Not in  _that_  way, but you know what I mean. You're so innocent and I think you're very kind and like, I don't think I'll ever be betrayed by you--or anything like that--in any way possible. I also think you're cool, and you're prettier than Tessa to be honest. I --," Eleanor sighs, and then she places a hand on Harry's back. "So, how's that reasoning then? But God, Harry, you're so hot, shall I take you home or? I can drive you."

Harry shakes his head, flustered. He peers over and shrugs Eleanor's hand off his back. When she lets go looking pained, Harry hastily grabs on the same hand and gives it a soft squeeze. "I forgive you, El," he finally manages, no ounce of hesitation smiling at her, "And I... really want to be your best mate too-- _bestest_  mate, best, best mate, doesn't matter. We're cool, yeah?"

Eleanor is so happy, she can't say anything. In exchange, she wraps her arms around Harry and cuddles him the best she can. Harry chuckles, just letting her. As they part, Harry searches Eleanor's eyes and then tells her, "I should go home. I don't want to die here with this damn flu."

She nods, still beaming, eyes still bright as she stares at her best, best mate. "Right! Likewise! Do you like, want me to drive you and your mum home? I can do that, really, and I won't mind. At all."

Harry shakes his head, chuckling. He stands up and sniffs in, "No, El. It's all right, I'll just--I'll go now, okay? But I appreciate it, honest, especially the part where you say I'm prettier than Tessa." He winks childishly. "Anyway, don't follow me." Harry doesn't let Eleanor say another word anymore and just heads off the corridor to go someplace where it's safe to compose his husband a text message informing him he's been sent home.

**_____________________________________**

The humidity outside is not that bad, the sun isn't that high up in the skies yet as well, indicating it's still early for dismissal.

Head throbbing in agonizing pain, all semi-blurry visions and jelly legs, Harry struggles to walk his way toward the bus stop where he and Louis would always split up in the mornings. He stands by the pavement and peers over his watch; it says, 10:12 AM. Harry knows it's the start of their third subject for the day and he can just imagine Louis fidgeting in his seat right now, thinking of something to get himself out the room perhaps and find him. Harry shakes the thought away and carries on waiting for the next bus.

And see, when Harry was to compose a message for Louis earlier, he saw how Louis has sent him about 18 messages that's all filled with Louis worrying, Louis panicking, and Louis apologizing profusely. Harry doesn't want Louis to feel bad for him just because he wasn't able to help him back there, doesn't want him to apologize for anything either, so what Harry did was decide against texting Louis about the fact that he was sent home, because apparently, he's severely high in fever.

Instead, Harry just stuck to playing it cool. He told Louis he was just tired and that he needed rest, so he asked for their adviser's permission about him going home and promised that he'll come to school tomorrow for some lesson catching up. Louis, although reassured clearly like that, didn't seem to buy it and now Harry's worried Louis might do something crazy while he's out of sight, or that he'd do something that will concern his mind.

Harry can only pray that Louis won't dare.

Three buses line up minutely and Harry takes the first one. As a tradition and in the name of Tomlinson-Styles usual routine, Harry sits at the farthest end of the bus despite him being alone and stares out the window until the bus takes off.

Meanwhile,

By the land just next to where Harry used to stand not too long ago, Eleanor watches on as the bus he's taken drives away. Eleanor didn't plan to be here, but she's riding her car and she is actually just on her way home when she saw Harry looking so troubled and sad on his own, waiting for the bus  _and not with his mum_ , so she stopped then to see what he was up to. Nothing mysterious about it, she decides.

Seeing as he's gone now though, Eleanor fires up the engine again so she can go. Just when Eleanor's ready to leave, however, a certain someone stops her for moving so and she sees clearly it's Louis Tomlinson, who's--not running, but rather sprinting--looking like he's in a hurry.

Is it something important? Eleanor hasn't an iota, but she doesn't care, all she wants is to witness what's the commotion about. She's far too curious about him and Harry now anyway. So.

Louis has his tie dangling around his neck, his hair a mess, facial expression...passively pressed and, yeah, he's totally sprinting. Eleanor's actually impressed about how Louis is super fast. He sure is great with the sport he is playing, so like, okay, now Eleanor is admitting to the fact that Tomlinson deserves all the attention or praises their entire school is giving him, (even if it irks the nerves inside of her).

Anyway, as Eleanor watches on silently from her car, she narrows her eyes just as she witnesses Louis literally hops inside the almost speeding bus itself. As though he's really trying his very best to get away from here and go someplace he needs himself to be, and wow, it's just making Eleanor even more curious as to why the fuck is that.

And she asks herself mentally, did she just see both Harry and Louis ride on the same bus stop just now? How are they related, really?


	12. part twelve: it all comes out in the wash 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t  T w e l v e:**   _It All Comes Out In The Wash_

💘💘💘

Minutes later of standing while worrying in the bus, Louis' finally barged inside their flat, sweating and panting. He drops his bags when he gets by the living room, pats Dusty's head on the way and rushes toward his and Harry's bedroom. He pushes the door open. "Harry!"

"Lou..." Harry's lying on his stomach, face buried against piles of pillows and he's still dressed in his uniform with the blazer, shoes and all. Louis sympathizes as he ascends further in, kneeling on the floor beside the bed. "Wha' you doin' 'ere," Harry drawls.

Louis grabs on each of Harry's arms and he winces almost instantly, feeling Harry hot against his palms. "Holy fuck, Haz, you're burning hot," he hisses, "come on, let me get you off your uniform, baby. Turn for me."

Harry obeys and shifts from his position to lie on his back. Louis hovers on top of him, eyebrows furrowed and working furiously on taking his uniform off for him; he starts by getting the coat off him and next undoing the buttons lined up against his chest. Louis tosses his coat and uniform away after that, and then he resumes on Harry's trousers, tugging on his belt and slipping it off of his waist.

When Louis' done with that, he unzips Harry's trousers and pulls it down. Then not until Louis' taken Harry's shoes and socks off, that he completely pulls on Harry's trousers to toss it away as well. Harry's now left with just his boxer shorts and that's it. Louis tucks him underneath the covers and pulls it up to his chin. "Thank you, Lou," Harry whispers, his voice raspy and low.

Louis' heart skips a beat and he leans down to kiss the top of Harry's head. "Wait here, sweetie, I'll mix you up some warm compress. For your forehead. Will also fetch you some glass of water."

"Yeah, okay," Harry mumbles, already dozing off without having the intention to.

Louis jogs out their room and goes to the kitchen. He takes a massive bowl from the cupboard under the sink and sets it over the counter. And then he runs some water for the kettle and settles it above the stove right after. He waits for it to boil. While he does so, he takes the time to fish out his phone to contact his mum for some questions regarding which medicine Harry should take at this rate. Jay answers in the third ring and boy is Louis so glad at some point of that very short moment of his life. "Mum, listen, I need your help," he rushes.

"Whoa, whoa, son. Halt. What is it? Something wrong?" Jay asks, concern and hastiness in her voice.

Louis scratches the back of his head as he eyes the kettle and grips on the phone against his ear. Shifting it to his other ear, he heaves out a sigh. "I... Mum, I'm sorry, but uh, Harry's ill and he's so hot right now and I'm kind of in a hurry? I, uh, forgot what to let him take, like the one you've always taught me. What I should let someone take when they're having fever and--"

"Hold on, Lou," Jay interrupts, "You're not making any sense, love. Could you make it clear? Calm down for a sec, will you?"

"Sorry," Louis says sheepishly, shifting his weight from one foot to another. "So, uh, Harry's caught bug, mum, and well, I forget what to let him take. Help?"

"Ah," Jay relents, chuckling slyly, "That's easy. Just let him have paracetamol; it'll lower his temperature. Also, make him drink plenty of water."

"All right. Right," Louis says, "Thanks, mum. That's all I need to know. I'm actually boiling some water to damp warm compress on his forehead. I'm doing the right thing, aren't I?"

"That's great, Lou. Harry'll need that."

"Right. I'll go do it, mum. Bye. Love you!"

"Okay. Gon' pray for your Hazza then. Love you too, Lou! Good luck."

Louis hangs up the phone and stuffs it right back in his pocket. By the time the kettle goes off, Louis turns off the stove and pours hot water on the bowl he's prepared not too long ago. After that, he runs some cool water right from the faucet and then he goes to the bathroom to grab some face towel, and then he's settled to come back to their room where Harry's sleeping.

Louis tiptoes inside, carefully carrying the bowl of warm water in his arms. He sets it by the nightstand and kneels down on the floor once again. He dips the face towel right on the steaming water and squeezes it a bit to let the excess drip; Louis folds the towel in four then and turns toward a peacefully sleeping Harry by the bed.

He starts wiping on Harry's forehead with the towel, taking the time to just look at that pinked face out of high temperature. How Louis hates that he's let Harry catch a cold.  _I'm such a worthless partner_ , Louis curses on his own. Pressing the damped warm towel softly against Harry's cheeks, neck and chest, Louis decides it's all settled and that he's off to his next task to make Harry drink some paracetamol before he falls deeply into sleep completely.

Leaving the warm towel over Harry's forehead, he stands up from where he's kneeling to rummage through their drawer of miscellaneous. He's sure there's some Advil or Paracetamol lost in there.

It's lasted at least 10-15 minutes until Louis' finally found the Paracetamol he's kept in their drawers full of junk, and by the time he's taken it to the kitchen so he could partner it with some glass of water, he's sweating madly and boy is he ready to skinny dip on a tub now just after he's scourged through all the perks of taking care of an ill Harry Styles, the one in which Louis has to treat like a real life princess. He's happy to be his servant though, nonetheless.

Louis pours Harry some glass of water and carries it with him. Coming out the kitchen, he bumps with Perrie, who's--

"Whoa," Louis gasps, "Your...hair?" He squints his eyes at the sight of Perrie, and Perrie smirks, giving him a spin, showing off her new look.

"Like it?" She asks with a wink.

Louis shakes his head to dismiss what he just saw and walks past Perrie. "Later you'll have my feedback, but now I have to go to my dear husband before he dies in illness."

Perrie puzzles, but she follows Louis without any protest or question. Just then she finds out that Harry's sick and she frowns. "Has he eaten something then before resting completely?" she asks as she watches Louis take Harry by the back of his head to have him sit a little bit.

"No, he hasn't, but Mum didn't say anything about letting him eat before drinking some medicine though, so."

Perrie nods.

"Thank you, Lou," Harry squeaks after he's gulped down the water and Paracetamol. Louis doesn't say anything at that and just lets him lie back down on his pillow again. Louis kisses Harry's forehead when he's taken the almost dried towel off of it, and then he finally murmurs a 'you're welcome, babe' against his lukewarm skin. Dipping the towel right on the warm water by the bowl again, he squeezes it off of remnants of water and puts it back against Harry's forehead again.

"Go to sleep, love. Just call me or Pezza if you need anything or if you want to use the loo, yeah?" Louis reprimands him. Harry responds with an  _unghmph_ , because really it's all he can muster for now, and then he's fast asleep again.

Perrie and Louis leave the room then after that, but not closing the door behind them as they get out. "Want some tea?" Perrie offers, to which Louis only silently nods at.

At the kitchen, Louis tells Perrie, "Nice hair, by the way. Uh, you dyed it purple. Wow."

Perrie giggles and grins proudly. "Your hubby's choice, not mine."

Louis shrugs. "Alas, my baby's the fucking best."

"Sure is."

**_____________________________**

At 11 in the evening, Harry wakes up and he sees Louis sound asleep right next to him. He takes the fully dried towel off his forehead and he smiles at how it's not-so-properly folded.  _Louis_ , he thinks,  _definitely a work of Louis_. Harry sits upright from bed and he deems his head isn't throbbing anymore. He supposes the medicine worked just well. Harry walks out of their bedroom and takes a piss by the loo. When he comes back to their room, he climbs in bed again and then kisses Louis right on his parted lips.

"Night. Love you so much," Harry whispers, his voice still groggy from sleep, snuggling against Louis' naked body.

And he drifts back to sleep.

**_____________________________**

In the morning, Harry and Louis wake up. Harry notices how Louis' wearing his ring, instead on his forefinger, it's actually in his ring finger, and how Harry loves the sight of that.

"Hi," Harry greets Louis, eyes twinkling with joy and smile filled with fondness.

Louis grins, just taking in the sight of a half-asleep Harry--who is, hopefully as well, all better now--before him, and not saying anything. Harry's last night's pale face is once again rosy, Louis sees, and his lips are back to being pink again. Harry's once tired eyes from yesterday are now bright too.  _Well, alrighty then_ , Louis thinks smugly in his head, he did this to his Harry--he made him feel all well. Brilliant. At least he's done something for him despite him not being able to help with the whole bringing Harry down to the clinic yesterday. Louis now feels a lot less guilty.

After a minute of silence that's filled of staring and awing, Louis remembers something (it sure is quite odd for him to think of that of all the things at the earliest of the mornings, but oh well), "You should go and see what you have done with Pezza, babe," he tells Harry hastily.

Harry cocks an eyebrow at that, confusion filling him. "Huh? What I did?"

Louis shoots up from bed and takes Harry's hand. "Come with me." Harry doesn't say a thing and just obeys. They stand outside Perrie's room and knock, minutely so. With no longer than a few seconds, Perrie opens the door. "That," Louis says, "is what you did."

"Morning!" Perrie beams. She's already wearing her uniform--from skirt, coat, bow to her flat shoes--her brand new purple hair tied into a high bun atop her head, and well, she looks gorgeous actually, always is. But still, Louis finds her silly-looking from now rather than attractive in a heterosexual-liking way. "You feeling better now, Haz?" She asks Harry, not even bothered with the way Louis is looking ridiculously at her. Even if it's clear as day that he's trying to make fun of her.

"Oh," Harry muses, "You... You did follow my advice, then?"

Perrie nods, still beaming. When her gaze drops to a still looking-ridiculously-at-her-Louis, she finally swats him on the head. "Wanker," she snaps and Louis laughs.

"You..." Harry trails off, breathing heavily, before eventually blurting out, "You look gorgeous, bebs! Holy shit!"

Perrie and Harry high-five. "I thought so, too!" Agrees Perrie, "Thank you for this, Haz!"

"No problem, Pez!"

Louis just rolls his eyes at their weirdness and drags Harry with him so they can dress up for school.

At 8:20, the bus drops them at their usual spot by the trees and Harry and Louis just stand there for a moment to take in each other's presence, hand in hand, face to face, hearts once again becoming one. Their rings aren't slid on their ring fingers now and are tucked away inside their bags, and well, Harry's already starting to feel nostalgic about that unfortunate fact. "Listen, Haz, if you're still not feeling well, just text me right away, yeah?" Louis tells him, eyes looking straightly into his, "I don't want to see you getting lifted up by some other people ever again, you hear me? I want it to be always me. I don't care if people would suspect as to why am I carrying you myself instead of Horan and Payne, Haz--just. Just text me, pronto, okay? Under your desk, text me."

Harry nods, inhaling sharply. "Yeah, okay, Lou."

Louis leans in and kisses Harry straight on the mouth, and then he talks against their lips, "I'll see you later."

Harry smiles, echoing, "I'll see you later."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

After that last sweet as honey exchange, Louis' already jogging his way to where their school gates are located, leaving Harry on his own again. Harry heaves out a dreamy sigh, just watching Louis go, smiling at the fact Louis' becoming this overprotective husband to him again, since it's probably one of Harry's favorite Louis' in the history of all Louis' if he's being honest--aside from a jealous Louis and joker Louis, that is. This possessive one is also downright golden.

Standing on his own under 'their' tree as he clutches on the handles of his knapsack, Harry then eventually decides it's safe to start walking toward the school now, considering he's sure Louis' already with Stan and Zayn anyway.

It only took Harry about five steps or six before he's stopped himself of proceeding to walk again. Because standing just three steps away from where he's rooted--that is also just five steps away from where Louis' kissed, said I love you to him, and left him not ages ago--is Eleanor Jane fucking Calder, looking bewilderedly at him, staring longingly and curiously.

And shit. Harry is damn rooted right on his spot, breath hitching, eyes almost bulging out of their sockets and blood all running up, up, up on his head.

"Eleanor," he manages in spite himself.

"Fuck, I... I... Harry," Eleanor stammers, looking nervous, "I'm fucking sorry, I... I didn't expect to see that. Holy fuck."

Harry steps forward, cautious to his actions. Thing is, Harry isn't that afraid for Eleanor to know about his and Louis' relationship by now, knowing he could always lie to her and tell her they're just 'childhood friends' anyway, but. But the fact that she's seen them kiss though... Fuck, Eleanor just saw Harry 'the average school boy with curly hair' Styles got kissed by Louis 'the popular boy in their school, and is the team captain of the football team' Tomlinson.

Well, that's a lot to take in for a newbie informed of, to be quite frank, and Harry, God, he doesn't know how he'll lie to her about certain things now--now that she's seen clearly how he and Louis are not just 'childhood friends' but are actually and literally more than just that.

Before he can say anything else, Harry starts off with, "Are you angry at me?" He simply doesn't want to make Eleanor feel betrayed--just like what she's confessed to him yesterday about the whole 'you will never betray me because you're an awesome person, Harry, so let's be best mate, I'm dying to become your bestest mate', and Harry's treasured that precise statement ever since he got informed of it. Harry wants to keep Eleanor as his best mate now, is the thing, and so he's going to take this seriously with her. Simply because she deserves it.

Eleanor blinks, however, and she doesn't even seem angry. At all. "What?" She asks, eyes still wide like golf balls, "Oh, jeez, Harry, no! I am not mad. No way! I was actually assuming that you'd be the one who'll get mad at  _me_!"

Harry heaves out a sigh of relief, loosening up, and finally the tension between them has eased. "God, I thought you'd feel betrayed...or something."

"No, Haz. I... I think I was the one who betrayed you, actually," Eleanor mumbles.

Harry just looks at her for a long moment, before finally breaking into a small smile. "Nah," he breathes out, "come here, you."

Eleanor grins adorably at him--it's actually a genuine one, no persuading intended--and then she walks toward Harry to have herself engulfed by him in a warm friendly hug. Their hug lasts quite shortly without them talking, until Eleanor starts, and she's aiming for what's she's just saw. "So, you and Tomlinson then?"

Harry nods, not going for twice-thinking anymore, parting from their hug. "He's, uh, actually my..." he trials off first and adds, "Promise me you will not tell anyone about this?"

Eleanor bites on her lower lip, actually anxious knowing about the truth behind their relationship. "Of course, Haz. Scouts' honor."

Harry nods. He closes his eyes firstly and takes a deep breath, and finally he says, "Louis' my husband. We're, uh, sort of married and my whole name is actually--"

"Harry Tomlinson-Styles," Eleanor finishes for him, her eyes comically wide, "Oh my fucking...oh my...oh...my..."

Harry shrugs weakly, searches her eyes, and says, "Scouts' honor, yeah?"

Eleanor only nods vigorously, although her throat is practically drying and yeah, it'll surely take some time before she could sink everything in.


	13. part thirteen: they would rather stay in the closet 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t  T h i r t e e n:**   _They Would Rather Stay In The Closet_

💘💘💘

After a week or so of having Eleanor know about their relationship and after all the subtlety or more so, pretending that she didn't yet, Harry's eventually decided to tell Louis about it, the truth; though Harry doesn't know, hasn't an iota as to how will Louis react to it if ever, without thinking it through, he establishes against lying any longer to his husband. And now, this is Harry, he will be breaking the news now... any moment now...

"She knows, Lou," Harry breathes out, finally, after so long of watching Louis walk quietly next to him.

"What? Who knows what?"

"Eleanor, she..." Harry trails off, watching Louis' change of facial expression into one of those bitterness.

"What about your new  _best_  friend?" Louis asks, his voice low, and like, he's almost muttering darkly.

Harry swallows hard, and then he finally tells him, "About us, I mean...she..."

Louis looks sharply to him at this, "Us? What about us? Look, Harrry, just tell me now, please? Don't pull out segues, will you?"

Closing his eyes tightly, Harry mumbles out, "She knows about us."

And then there's that killer silence, being the air breeze as the only source of sound that eases the deafening eeriness.

Instead of taking it lightly, in a rather civil way, Louis' brows furrowed instead, indicating he's actually pissed at this. "What," his first bite goes. Well, okay, he's not just pissed then, Harry supposes, but is thoroughly biased about it.

"Lou, I-"

"Shut up!" Shouts Louis, stopping on his tracks.

Not responding to that one startling tone of voice of Louis', Harry stares at him, throat drying. And then Louis storms away without even bothering to look back at him or just take the bus despite it's already waiting in front of them.

"Louis! Wait!"

"Fuck off! Go home on your own! I can't deal with you right now! And don't you dare follow me!"

Petrified, only now that Harry's envisioning that Louis really is still juvenile at heart and won't take such news just well. Licking his lips as he watches Louis walk fast before him, Harry starts running to catch up on him. Louis turns to his left to cross the street, to go to the other side of the road, still stomping hardly against the concrete like the daft child he is; the other road, it's where their flat is almost near at--except after they pass a few more shops and houses that is.

Harry silently follows Louis as he goes, daring not to call out on him for he knows just how Louis will only get mad at him even more (they've fought for over a million times now, so he's expert with this one already). Like, the whole distancing and that entire sort. Harry knows where the line is after all and for what it's worth, he knows just when or where he should cross it without actually pissing his husband off at the very least of it.

Every walk at home takes about half an hour before one could finally reach it, because their flat is actually located pretty much far away from Fargo High School--it's for their closeted relationship purposes actually, and well, now Harry knows that he's fucked everything up, realizing it all only now. Of course, there are some big reasons behind why he and Louis even chose to be in a closeted kind of relationship to begin with, and now he's told someone about them (someone that coincidentally, Louis doesn't like the aura of, which is Eleanor, and yet Harry's broken her the tad truth behind their heart eyes). Harry had just broken their promise of not telling it off to people 'no matter what', and yeah, Harry's getting eaten by pure guilt now. Sue him.

Then again, Harry didn't purposefully tell Eleanor about it, since she's the one who caught them kissing last week, but.

Yeah, Harry didn't lie nor put up a fight about the situation and just told straight Eleanor that they indeed are husbands, fucking married.

Harry's ruined everything, alright.

Harry winces as he gazes at Louis from afar, watching on with Louis' every move. How he's ducked low when this bike messenger rode past him in a quite fast pace, how he's glided past people who were in a hurry with something that might be important for them, and how he'd get nudged multiple times by some who were slightly drunk and were wobbling as they shuffled along. And,  _god_ , Harry curses in his head,  _Louis must be getting even more pissed now with people at the streets neglecting him, his presence._ How Harry wishes he can do something about it.

By the time the both of them have reached their exact destination, which is their flat, Harry stops at some point to let Louis come inside first before he can. When Louis did, Harry jogs his way toward their door and barges in. "So, you aren't even planning to explain to me why you let her know, huh?" Louis tells him the moment he's shut the front door behind him and has walked in. "Just--just this, Harry? You're just going to watch me get mad at you then, is that it? Just going to let me ignore you until we forget about the whole thing? God, Haz!"

Harry holds on to Louis' arms, "Louis, I've wanted to explain things with you, but you walked so fast and told me not to follow-"

"No, you're not!" Louis yells at him, slipping off his grip. "You are fucking not! And you  _followed_  me!" Harry watches Louis as he storms off and marches in the kitchen. Harry runs after him.

"Louis! Look, I'm sorry!" Harry yells too, getting frustrated, "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to tell her about us! She just--she just knew!"

Louis laughs sarcastically, "Oh, yeah, right. Like I'd believe that lie anymore, Harry. You've been lying to me this whole time, yeah? So, why the fuck should I believe that yet another lie, huh? She just knew, you say? Wow. What is this Eleanor girl then, a wizard or some shit like that? Harry, can you please stop lying to me, even just for one second?"

Harry narrows his eyes at this, and then he fiddles with his necktie. He glares at Louis, then blinks... and he snaps, finally. "Whoa, whoa! Hold there a minute, Lou! You seriously, seriously think that I'm just lying to you right now? Is that it? What the-"

"Yeah, Harry!" Louis yells frantically, cutting him off, "'Know why?" He asks angrily, grabbing on a bottle of ketchup and pepper straying by the counter. "Because you're such a fucking liar! A damn cheat!" With that screamed, Louis throws the bottles on the ground and they break, the broken glass pieces shattered against the tiles, the contents splattered against all places they collided with.

Harry actually backs away at that, wildly taken aback with Louis' reckless abandonment. "Oh," Harry manages to let out, barely a word, but more like an exhale. "I... I'm a... Okay, Lou, I..." Harry's shaking his head, baffled, can't believe what he's just heard.

Louis' heart is on his mouth, eyes wide, breath hitching against his throat. "Shit," he curses, swallowing hard. Voice softening and reaching out on Harry, he says, "Harry, I'm--no, I didn't mean-"

It's Harry's turn to laugh at him, cutting through and backing away, his laughter being one of those that are sardonic and clearly stabbed. "Right, Louis, I get it now. You... you genuinely think that I'm a fucking liar. That I'd still lie despite all this. Wow... that is... such big, big reveal and, it, uh," Harry laughs again, though this time it's weaker. He's tired. And before he knows it, he's just hearing himself crying."It hurts, hearing it from you. 'Hurts a lot."

Louis tries nearing him, but Harry only backs away even more, seemingly crumpling like a paper, coming off fragile. "I'm so, so sorry, Haz-"

"-I mean, I didn't even mean it. She, Eleanor found out herself, see? She...she just saw us there, Lou. I... you know, at the place where we'd always split up? By the tree," Harry croaks, sobbing, tears streaming down on his now incredibly red cheeks. "I-- I didn't mean for any of this to happen, Lou, I swear," Harry says truthfully, shaking his head and rubbing on his teary eyes.

Louis is not able to utter out a word, too caught up with how Harry is frantically sobbing before him. Like, actually sobbing. And then Louis remembers, Harry is only 16; still capable of making mistakes... and that he's especially just a kid.

Harry kneels on the floor, face buried against his palms as he cries breathlessly. "Take that back, Lou," Harry sobs, "Say you don't think I'm a liar...  _please_. Because we both know I barely lie. I hate lying, you know that. My-- my Mum wouldn't speak to me again if she ever finds out I lied, right? So I don't. Most times, I don't." Harry's breath is hitching against his throat and his voice is breaking at each word, and Louis, he's hurt too--literally hurt, because his hand is bleeding; has been bleeding since the moment he threw the bottles of ketchup and pepper, and with Harry crying weakly like this before him is not helping at all. It's his fault that Harry's hurting and... he is wrong with his speculations after all, that he realizes.

Harry didn't tell Eleanor about them himself,  _of course Harry wouldn't fucking do that, what is he even thinking?_  Louis fucking knows now, that she herself just saw them--accidentally or on purpose, he doesn't know and from now on he will not assume--at their usual split spot by the tree.

So yeah. Wow, Louis is such a douchebag for making his Harry cry.

Swallowing dryly, Louis inches forward to go near Harry by the kitchen's doorway. He carefully passes the broken glass pieces by the ground as he goes and when he finally reaches Harry, he kneels down on his level from the ground and takes him by his torso.

Harry flinches from the sudden touch, but sinks into it almost immediately nevertheless. Louis wraps his arms around a curled up Harry, tugging on his head to make him look up. "Sshh," he soothes, half-forcing to cradle the younger boy in his arms. "Stop crying now, love, I didn't mean anything I said. Promise. You're not a liar, and yes... you're right, we both know that." While Louis asks Harry to stop from sobbing, little does he know he's actually doing the exact same now. He's crying too.

Harry lets go of his curled up position and grabs on Louis' collar. He clings onto him, wrapping both his limp arms around his neck and sniffling in hiccuping sobs. "I got scared, Lou," Harry croaks, shaking his head like it would make his frantic sobs saunter away.

Louis lets Harry sob against his chest, lets him damp his uniform and all, and he just holds him close, not ever wanting to let go anymore. "I'm sorry, Haz, really sorry... oh God."

The grip on his collar tightens, with him getting even more pulled down, and he knows, Louis knows he's really made Harry scared back there--him, whom threw bottles of ketchup and pepper in front of Harry, him whom yelled angrily at Harry, and him whom called Harry a liar.

Louis winces inwardly, recalling the entire scenario just now, and God, how he wishes he's never said any of those, that he's never done any of those. The scene has been about a wolf that's scared a kitten to death; Louis as the big bad wolf and Harry as the fluffy sad little kitten. Just thinking about it makes Louis want to throw up. He can't believe what he'd just done.

Peering over his palm from where he's holding Harry's back, he sees his wound still gushing out with blood, and boy is it a bit massive. Louis bites on his lip as he takes the pain with himself, daring not to complain despite the stinging feeling. He thinks that Harry's more important for now rather than to have him all fixed,  _because he did this to Harry._

Because of him, Harry's cried. Because of him, Harry's scarred. Because of him, Harry's closed to being traumatized, and thus he owes the younger kid all of him.

Thing is, Harry and Louis have never fought like this before--never the part where they will break something, never the part where they will call each other names, never the part where they will both cry. Louis and Harry know this is yet the worst fight in their history of fights and it's awful. Awful than being almost out of the closet, in their case.

Minutes later of just having Harry damp Louis' uniform of hot tears and sweats, the younger one eventually looks up from burying his face against the older one's chest. "Louis," he breathes out, his voice sounding more even now than moments ago when he's still having a hard time keeping himself from hiccuping.

Louis hums in response, looking down on Harry, cupping his cheeks with his palms. And just as his palms have collided against Harry's cheeks that he winces, remembering his once stinging wound that is now, well, back on stinging. "Ow," he mutters, squinting from the pain.

Harry's brows draw in confusion and he looks at whatever it is that's caused Louis to make a pained facial expression. When Harry sees it, he chokes, "Oh, dear. Louis, you're hurt."

Louis, despite everything that's happened, manages to chuckle (it's even genuine) as he shakes his head in a 'no, I'm fine' way. "Just a cut, Haz. Nothing to worry about, really. It's actually you that I'm worried, so..."

Harry frowns at that, and then he deadpans, "Lou, don't be such a tosser now, and let me clean that wound. I'll be fine. Come on."

Louis bites on his lower lip as he nods. They both stand up from the floor and go to the living room, Harry supporting Louis' forearm for its turned out when he's trying to limp it down, it stings.

Harry orders Louis to sit down on the couch and have himself comfortable while he fetches their first aid kit back in their room. By the time Harry comes back with the first aid kit, Perrie is emerging inside their flat and she has this bewildered look on her face as she looks at the both of them--and Dusty, who seems hiding from behind the telly.

The creepy yet overwhelmingly sensible thing about Perrie, is that she knows just when her best mates had a fight, got into some trouble or whatnot (without needing the effort to know detail by detail, mind) and by the looks she's giving them right now, she's totally found out already, that in fact, Louis and Harry fought and that it didn't go well.

Before she can scold them for something or better yet, give sympathy to them or whatever there is she has to offer, however, Harry beats her to it by raising an index finger as a sign that they don't want to talk about it just yet. Perrie seems to understand, so she doesn't say anything and instead proceeds to go to her room with her gaze not leaving them as she walks. Harry heaves out a sigh of relief once he's heard Perrie's door opened and closed, and then he goes to sit next to Louis by the couch.

The tension between them goes back to being awkward, unlike minutes ago when they thought that they'd actually made up then. Harry can't look at Louis in the eyes especially that they're already sitting next to each other, so instead of fighting the urge to not to, he settles for nonchalant and reaches out to take Louis' wounded hand.

Louis doesn't protest nor shows any sign of reaction as Harry places his hand on his lap, just going with the way Harry wants things to turn out. While Harry takes the betadine out of the kit and some cotton to partner it with, Louis is looking at him, wondering why did he even make someone as domestic and caring like Harry cry just now, like,  _really_ , he asks himself,  _why Louis...?_

He realizes, Harry will never lie to him unless he needs to, unless it concerns the both of them going down a certain route; like this for example. One of them being physically wounded. Well, Louis supposes he's asked for this, and so this is what he got.

It's both their faults, and they're just kids, so they make mistakes. Now, Louis understands.

As Harry works on gently pressing some cotton dipped with betadine against Louis' cut, Louis just watches on silently, trying hard not to say something that will make Harry uncomfortable. Like perhaps 'ouch, shit, that hurts' or 'not too gentle, Haz, you won't heal me enough like that'. He just breathes in and out inaudibly, being a good patient.

Just when Harry's about to wrap some gauze around Louis' now cleansed wound, Louis finally converses, his voice mellow and dulcet, "Are we...okay now, Haz? Have you, uhm...forgiven me yet?"

Harry sighs as he fissures some right amount of gauze to have Louis' palm wrapped in, and then he looks up to finally face Louis. Even after a cry, Harry deems Louis adorable as ever. From looking so trenchant earlier, now he's looking rather crestfallen, and Harry, Harry just really wants to hug him right now, anchor things with him and all that. Get this over with.

Setting the gauze aside, Harry does hug Louis, burying his face at the crook of the older boy's neck. Harry inhales, his breathing oscillating and, suddenly, he's once again crucial, penitent for all that's ensued back in their kitchen. "Yeah, Lou, of course. You know I'll never last an hour ignoring you," he admits.

Louis smiles, gently nudging Harry's top of the head to make him look up at him. "Me too, Harry, I don't-- I can't go on for another minute to have it spent with your tacitness. I mean, it just doesn't suit us."

Harry actually looks up to him now and with a smirk too. Louis' heart beat scuttles against his chest at that detrimental beauty of Harry. "That's deep, Lou. Perhaps, you're reading more books now? The ones I let you borrow?"

Louis rolls his eyes, pinching Harry's nose. "Just shut up and clean my wound. Now."

Harry laughs. "Yes, Your Highness," he mocks, bowing before Louis.

To which made Louis snort.

As Harry resumes with wrapping the gauze around Louis' palm and finishing it with the paper tape he's provided, the sound of Perrie's sudden scream pulls their attention, and it makes them both look to each other with a sheepish expression. "The broken bottles," they both mumble.

"Oh my God, you two!" Perrie gushes, "How bad was the fight that it went this far? Holy cow!"

"Sorry, Pez! I'll just clean it all up later!" Louis calls.

"No!" Perrie responds, "You're shite when it comes to cleaning up and everyone in this planet is aware of that!"

Harry snickers next to Louis, which he earns himself another pinch on the nose. "Just-- just leave it there, Pez! I can handle that, I swear!" Louis argues.

"I said, no!" Perrie argues back. Emerging from the kitchen with both her hands stuck on her hips, she gives the two an apologetic look. "Look, I'm sorry for whatever it is you two have fought about, sweeties... I'm sorry I wasn't here to stop you both." She tilts her head sideways when Louis and Harry only look down to their laps, feeling shy, no response, and then she clears her throat. "Uhm, but, we still need those things though. The ketchup and pepper. So, I think you two should go out for some, yeah? Kitchen isn't a kitchen without a ketchup, without a pepper."

Louis and Harry both stand up from the couch with some murmurs of agreement, their gazes still fixated before them, daring not to look up at Perrie just because they're ashamed of what they've done, for making Perrie cleanup before their own mess--like the usual.

Perrie watches them retreat back to their room with a first aid kit carried by Harry. Her heart sinks seeing that and she knows, she just knows they really did have a heart-shattering fight just then when she wasn't yet there. It kills her mentally just imagining the scenario of Louis or Harry breaking bottles in front of the other while the other one cries in forlorn and fright, and  _wow, these two are just kids_ \--they're fragile, as far as she's concerned and they're literally under her care if any. The fact she wasn't there as their guardian actually saddens her, bugs her, and she very much hates it.

With another loud sigh of disappointment, she returns to the kitchen to start cleaning up.

**______________________________**

With their marriage rings on their ring fingers, both sporting a pair of puffy just-cried eyes and each of them only wearing some simple blue and gray jumpers and some matching joggers, they make their way inside Tesco to buy just a bottle of ketchup and a bottle of pepper.

Harry is walking right behind Louis, looking fluffy and quiet; his lips are a shade of magenta and so are his cheeks. Pitiful yet admirable.

Louis notices Harry's lack of giddiness and so with that, he slips his hand from behind him and searches for Harry's own hand; he takes it with a shivering breath, because holy hell, Harry's hand is freezing cold (so much for not wearing mittens when going out on a cold October) and interlaces their fingers. Harry obliges on the gesture and now they're both keeping a hearty smile to themselves as they rack the aisle they are at.

"...man, we should go out this Friday."

"With who?"

"Dunno. The football team? With Louis and Tom, I say."

Louis' head snaps up at the mention of his name, or so he thinks he  _is_ the one that some of the people from the other aisle are talking about. Harry leans in and whispers. "I recognize those patronizing voices, Lou."

"What do you mean, Haz? By chance, are they...?"

They both look at each other with widened eyes, and say in hissing tones, "Zayn and Stan."

"What the fuck are they doing in a market?" Louis curses. "Shit, this isn't good."

"What if they see us?" Harry asks, panicking. They've literally got matching outfits and Uggs! They can't just pass this off as 'friends hanging out'. Plus, they have their rings on their fingers. Shit.

Louis gives Harry's hand a squeeze, his other injured hand tucked beneath him. "I don't know, Haz. I guess... I guess we could just--you know, uh, reveal?"

Harry winces.

After a while, they can still hear Zayn and Stan chatting on the aisle next to theirs and by the looks of it, they're getting nearer and nearer and yeah, Harry and Louis are now just hoping for the best.

Not until, "Hey, boys!"

"What?" Stan puzzles.

"Huh? Who's that?"

"Was it us she's calling?"

"Yeah, you both, silly goofs!"

"Eleanor?" Zayn muses.

"Hi, Zayn! Hi, Stan!"

Louis looks at Harry. "Eleanor? What's your friend doing here?"

Harry shrugs. "Who knows?"

"What's up, Eleanor?"

"Oh, nothing, I just--I just want you both to come with me on the toiletry aisle? Help me with something?" She seems sheepish yet in a rather hurry. Louis and Harry wonder what she's up to, though nevertheless they're grateful of her presence. The toiletry aisle is like, on the other side of the supermarket, far from the food and beverages aisle, which technically, is where they all are currently at.

"Okay, sure." They hear Zayn say eventually.

"Brilliant!" Eleanor beams, and finally the coast is clear for Harry and Louis.

They both heave out sighs of relief. Louis licks his lips and grabs on some bottle of ketchup in front of them, and then goes for the nearest bottle of pepper on the higher row. He pulls Harry with him after that to pay for everything right away just so they can go home now before anyone from their school spots them.

While Louis takes care of their purchased spices, Harry's heart is on his throat as he gazes Eleanor jogging toward their direction. "Lou... Eleanor is coming this way. What should we do?" He almost sounded squeaking.

"What?" Louis hisses, "Holy-"

"Hey, you two!" Eleanor chirps. "Gotcha!"

"Uh, hi," Harry mutters, averting his gaze somewhere else rather than at Eleanor.

Louis hastily grabs on the paper bag from the counter as he abandons his change. Grabbing on Harry's hand, he pulls him with him and starts walking the other way to escape from Eleanor. "Hey!" Eleanor calls, "After saving your arses from Malik and Lucas, you're just going to leave me here?"

That retort makes Louis stop. Harry isn't saying anything, but he's looking back at Eleanor with a pleading gaze that's either saying 'please, not now, El' or 'Louis will get angry at me again if you don't leave us alone, I swear'.

Eleanor seems to pick up on that but she's eager to come with them, so she steps forward and takes Harry's free hand. Louis doesn't say anything as well, although he can tell she's now holding Harry as well. "Uhm..." Harry lets out, feeling awkward with the whole situation.

"Starbucks," Eleanor starts, breaking the eeriness, "is actually just down the block. My treat?"

Louis looks at her, mouth slightly agape. And until he smiles with a shrug. He tells her, "Nah, my treat. It should be my thanks for you... for uh, saving our arses back there."

Harry smiles down on his and Louis' red and white Ugg boots on the ground, feeling his heart settling. He thinks this must be the start of compromising between his husband and his new best mate.

He hopes he's right.

"All right," Eleanor says fondly. "Let's go then."


	14. part fourteen: a happy medium assortment 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t  F o u r t e e n:**   _A Happy Medium Assortment_

💘💘💘

Louis and Harry are stuck like glue while they walk with Eleanor on their way to the nearest Starbucks down the road, way past 3rd and 4th avenue all the way from the supermarket they were once at. It's 8 in the evening, the moon is enticing from up above and the air is really cool against their woolly jumpers. The couple had been fully aware how Perrie might be pulling at her purple hair then, because they're still not coming back and it's past their curfew--and adding the fact that they even fought before they went out is another thing to worry about, they know, because there were possibilities that the fight has woken up again while they were out.

But then it's false, so before she could even ring them to remind them about the dawn of the night or to make herself as the consultant, Harry's become the sensible child he is and rang Perrie himself when they got out the supermarket earlier on.

Louis is still hugging the paper bag consisting of their purchased spices with his injured hand securing it, whereas his other hand is holding Harry close with their fingers interlocked--refusing to actually let go, as though if he did, Eleanor will be the only one who's holding hands with Harry.

And why is she even holding Harry's hand? Seriously?

Louis clears his throat with that, breaking the silence that is the tacitness of the night, making Harry and Eleanor look to his direction. "So, Eleanor," he starts, and then he looks at her, "Eleanor, right?"

Eleanor rolls her eyes, nodding, "Right, of course, you wouldn't be familiar with me," she says sarcastically, gesturing in the air to emphasize her point, "you're the captain of the football team, what am I even thinking, not introducing myself properly? Mr. Popular and all that. Right."

Louis scowls. "Hey! You think I'm-"

Eleanor raises a finger at him, "Hush now, little man, no need to get violent. Jesus." Hooking arms with Harry and leaning against his shoulder as she walks, Eleanor pulls him a little just so Louis would flinch on his other side, "Young Harry here doesn't need immature people fighting on the streets before him, right, Harry?"

Harry's eyes widen and suddenly he's finding this awkward. For one, Harry always feels it whenever Louis is getting jealous over something, from the most petty things to the least ones, and even if this one counts for being the most petty of them all, Harry is still incompetent about it. (Although he does love a jealous Louis, most times, because it only means that he cares, he just wouldn't admit it to Louis himself.) "Uh, 'suppose," Harry mutters, wobbling a bit as he walks with both Louis and Eleanor trying to hold him at each arm.

Eleanor sighs quite exaggeratedly, shaking her head. "Oh, Harold."

"Stop calling my husband Harold, will you?" Louis snaps, pulling Harry with him, Eleanor toppling over.

"Hey!" Eleanor protests, "Bloody hell-"

Louis leans hastily against Harry's ear and whispers, "Run."

Harry snorts, but then Louis is already dragging him with him as he runs, so Harry has to run along too or else he'll stumble down. Louis laughs out loud as he glances back to see Eleanor struggling to catch up on them, shouting, "Wanker!"

"Try catching up now, Primadonna!" Louis shouts back.

Harry doesn't want to laugh along because it would be rather unfair for Eleanor getting treated like this despite the help she's offered them earlier, but then again, it's Louis--his  _fun_  Louis--so he can't help but burst in double laughter too, dimple at each cheek showing, eyes looking triply beautiful and glassy and wow, okay, Louis is finding the view of a laughing Harry quite a picturesque and yes, Louis' totally sure that he's married the right one.

Just as the three of them have reached Starbucks from the third shop to the left of the first street and have found themselves some seats, Louis persuades Eleanor for a high-five as a settlement for what he's done to her (she's hurt her ankles because of running and Louis' been, and still is, smug about it), but it only irks Eleanor some more and so she swats Louis' hand away, swearing and calling him a dick, to which Louis only laughs at.

"Whatever, I'm going to order. What do you guys want?" Louis asks, tapping their table, using his other hand. Eleanor opens her mouth to speak, but Louis hushes her, "Not you, Harry first." Smiling sweetly at Harry, Louis asks again, "What do you want, Haz? Cinnamon Dolce Frap? Double Chocolaty Chip? Or your usual, Hazelnut Frap?"

Harry giggles--he actually giggles--which only makes Louis smirk some more. "I'll go for my usual, Lou, thank you."

Eleanor scoffs, "Tosser."

"That Harry loves," Louis shoots back.

Eleanor rolls her eyes, but then she smiles because he's right. "Whatever, Tomlinson."

Louis laughs, and then he turns to Eleanor, "How about you then? Any usual?"

"Yeah, my usual is White Chocolate Mocha Frap. No whip most of the time, especially if it's winter time, because you know, I just don't think it'll fit the weather? Also the Caramel Frap! I really love that, it tastes so, so good. My mum and I always go for that whenever we go to Starbucks and let me just tell you two, it's the best beverage ever. Oh, and no whip for that one too," Eleanor answers in one whoop. Louis and Harry look at each other at this, both having baffled reactions. Eleanor notices their lack of response and so she defends herself, "I love Starbucks, okay? I practically live here."

They both nod at that, swallowing thickly like they've just been doomed, but yet understanding. Then Louis asks just so this whole thing would finally settle and he can order, "So, which of the two will you have at this time?"

With no blushing nor shame, Eleanor says, "The first one, since I'm not with mum."

Louis orders them their drinks and he comes back with a tray of three coffees, two doughnuts for Eleanor, a slice of banana cake for Harry and a slice of angel cake for him. Louis sits right next to Harry, settling down the tray before them and kissing the top of Harry's head. Rolling her eyes, Eleanor takes her coffee and doughnuts, telling the couple off to  _get a room_  before leaning back to her seat. Laughing and smirking, Harry and Louis do the same, taking their coffees and cakes.

As the trio dine and chat about school, classmates' bantering, the event this coming end of October and just, anything at all that they can think of, Louis learns that Eleanor is actually a very quirky lass, a very talkative one too, and he learns that she's a girl that used to have finesse unlike now that she's acting differently to prove something that people usually don't see.

He learns that she's being forced to be 'the perfect daughter' in her family, that she's forced to study hard, work hard, to look beautiful every time and to act like a lady even if she already was--as though what she used to be wasn't lady-like enough. Now that it was all thrown out there, Louis is sympathetic towards her. He thinks she doesn't deserve any of it, all the expectant eyes that are surrounding her, all the tons weighing on her shoulders.

Eleanor, she's just a girl, a high school girl, and she doesn't deserve any forced stuff that her parents are pushing on her way. Not at all.

On the other hand, Eleanor tells them that they are a very cute and adorable couple, that their rings are the sweetest things she's seen on a two Indie boys, that their couple woolly jumpers are the cheesiest things she's ever seen in her lifetime too. Louis laughs at all of those, heart eyes all bright for Harry, but he teases her back by saying she should marry the owner of Starbucks just because.

Two slices of angel cake, banana cake and another order of cinnamon rolls later, Louis considers his disliking towards Eleanor at this point, considers being close to her, since Harry's already declared himself being best mates with her--as though Louis thinks that he should as well be close to her, just so he can look over their friendship while it carries on throughout the years. Louis knows Harry well and he knows just how he keeps someone; he keeps them forever, just like Louis to Harry. So, Louis thinks Harry will totally keep Eleanor forever too.

And so, Louis is in a rather mission to be close to Eleanor as well (maybe he can do it while at school). Although he knows it'll take a lot of effort, a lot of time, a lot of adjustments and such, Louis is still willing. Harry is the most important person to and for him, so he's willing to do anything and everything just to make him the happiest.

**______________________________**

Louis and Harry accompany Eleanor to her car, parked at the parking lot all the way back to the supermarket, and watch her as she drives away from them with a waving hand. Once her car's out of their sight, Harry clings onto Louis and makes him look to him. Louis obeys and faces Harry with a questioning look on his face. Harry doesn't tell him anything and just leans in and presses his lips against Louis. Their lips brush against each other as their breaths that smelt of sweet cakes they had just now linger under their smelling senses, Harry cupping Louis' face and Louis holding Harry's waist, rubbing his thumbs just over the fabric.

And they just stay like this, comfortable with each other's ever familiar presence close to them, the ever familiar scent of Louis, of Harry, of their other halves.

"Let's go home, little man," Harry says softly, almost whispering.

Louis snorts, giggling, "Little man. Are you teasing me or is it, Eleanor's rubbed off on you?"

Harry giggles too, and then he says, honestly, "No to both, actually. I just really want to take you home now so I can have you sleeping next to me, be my big spoon." Grinning, Harry purrs to Louis' cheek, "You're not little, by the way. You're my mighty ol' protective spouse ready to fight anyone who would hurt me."

Louis smiles at him, cheeks red. "Because you're my baby, silly," he says softly. And then he nods, "But I like your idea, sweet. Let's go home, so I can spoon you."

**______________________________**

In the morning, Perrie sees them both by the kitchen, already dressed in their uniforms, Harry's hair in a tamed way and Louis' in its natural feathery form, drinking Yorkshire tea made by Louis.

The bottle of ketchup and pepper are sitting neatly by the cupboard above the sink and the two are both wearing this innocent facial expressions, indicating to Perrie, that they rather the happening from last night not brought up. Perrie cocks an eyebrow at them, fiddling with her bow-tie as she shuffles her way to one of the chairs surrounding the table; she sits across the both of them.

"So," Louis begins, a type of conversation he's willing to start just so the matter from yesterday completely vanishes from Perrie's memory, "We have an event at school and-"

Except Perrie doesn't give two shits about skimming through the topic she's been aching to bring up. "How are things between the two of you now?"

Harry licks his lips as he gazes over to Louis next to him from the corner of his eye. Louis just smiles at him with a shrug and he knows, they're totally fine--things between them are fine. No more fights. "We're fine now, mum," Harry answers on their behalf, "just, this awful thing that's happened yesterday--it was just some misunderstanding, really. We're okay now...uh, but thank you for cleaning up."

Perrie shakes her head, "The cleaning up part is totally fine, Haz, what I'm-- I mean, what I was worried about was the fact that I wasn't there to stop whatever it was that's surfaced. So, I guess...it's half my fault. I'm sorry."

Louis and Harry's gazes widen, and they both stand up in protest, making Perrie shut her eyes tight just because. "No!" They exclaim. "None of it was your fault!"

Harry pounces on the table as he leans in to emphasize the sincerity in his words. "Never think of any of it that's happened as your fault, mum! None of it was, ever. You were nothing to us but a helping hand, a mother, a sister and the bestest friend."

Perrie stares at Harry, to which Louis mirrors, and they stay silent for a little while until Perrie snorts, followed by Louis and then Harry. Until the three of them are double over with laughter. "You're so cheesy, you little sap," Perrie tells Harry with a ruffle atop his mop of curly locks.

"Isn't he?" Louis adds, smirking.

"He sure is," Perrie agrees, giggling, "and that is why I'm always wondering how you two get along just well despite the overflowing cheesiness in the air you two breathe in."

Harry rolls his eyes, pouting, and then grinning again. "It's the truth though," he mumbles, fixing his fringe.

Louis laughs.

When Louis and Harry are done having tea, they say their goodbye to Perrie and they both head out to go to the bus station and then to their usual split-up place. Louis jogs away, leaving Harry after they hugged, and minutes later, Eleanor comes parking her car alongside the pavement where Harry is at. She invites him in for a ride and he says yes, giving her a peck on the cheek. They both drive to the school gates then and when they both got out of Eleanor's car, students all around their school's got their curious eyes glued to them, until they reached their designated rooms.

Liam and Niall greet Harry with a smile, and they are all once again engaged for yet another day in class.

On their third subject, Zayn stands up in front of the class again, for the last time, just to remind them that the time really flies fast and that tomorrow is already the big day--the event, their Halloween party. Zayn also reminds them about bringing someone with them and Harry thinks of bringing Perrie right away. He decides he should tell Louis about it first though and while he's at it, he also thinks of something to convince Perrie that she will love the idea of coming along with them despite her not being one of those that loved parties in the first place, because for one, Perrie is a homey kind of person; she loves her some homey atmosphere and parties are totes not included to her vocabulary of the homey feeling.

At 12 in the afternoon, break time, everyone gathers in the cafeteria while Louis and Harry sneakily meet at the football players' locker room. Louis greets Harry with the warmest hugs he can muster and Harry hugs him just as warmly. Louis breathes Harry's strawberry milky scent in and then they pull apart. "What is it, babe?" Louis asks, looking at Harry's face. He's so adorable Louis might just die in his arms right there and then. He missed him while in their classroom, that's why.

Harry grins at him and shakes his head slyly, "I was just thinking, Lou. Malik's told us we could bring outsiders at the party tomorrow and... I just, I thought of someone we could bring."

"Perrie?" Louis asks, giving him a knowing look.

Harry nods. "Yeah, but. I was also thinking she might not. You know, not the biggest fan of parties and all. Have you any idea as to how on earth we could?"

"Convince the lady?" Louis asks again and Harry just nods his yes. Louis hums as he ponders for an answer, holding Harry's hand and twirling him around. Harry stifles giggles as he lets Louis spin him around, blushing madly and loving every bit of it. Louis makes the twirling stop after doing it twice and wraps both his arms around Harry's waist and presses his chest against his back, keeping him close and all. He tucks his chin on Harry's right shoulder and Harry interlocks their fingers that are resting on his stomach, leaning back. "I think... we should convince her by telling she could dress up like Bat Girl if she comes with us," Louis finally says, smirking, "She'll say yes on that. Want to bet on it?"

Harry laughs, shaking his head and disentangling off Louis to turn around and face him. "I don't want to bet on something that is a sure win."

So it's settled. Louis and Harry kiss again and they go out from the locker room to have their breaks. Harry comes and sits with Niall, Liam and Eleanor in the cafeteria and he eats whatever there is at each their trays--no one is complaining, Harry notes, which is great--since everyone is chatting about tomorrow's event, planning what they will wear as their costumes and just anything Halloween-related. While Harry eats solemnly, Eleanor nudges him and whispers against his ear, "Look at Melissa."

Harry's brows furrow in wonder and he searches the area for a Melissa Whitehall. He sees her standing by the counter with Sophia Smith--who is furiously texting on her mobile, and Tessa who is trying to get Louis' attention (but Harry doesn't care about that for now, since he's just snogged his husband in the locker room). Anyway, Melissa is looking at their direction. Again, Harry catches her doing just that.

"What's up with her?" Harry asks Eleanor, "She's your cheerleader friend, right?"

Eleanor cocks an eyebrow. "Yeah, I, well, I don't know, but..."

"But?"

"I don't think she's looking at us, Harry."

They both look at each other when realization hits them, and say in unison, "Niall."

Niall and Liam are still talking about what they will wear for the event, Liam constantly checking his phone for whatever it is that he's anticipating and Niall blabbering non-stop while eating in full speed, although yeah, they are still fully engaged in their nerdy conversation despite the multi-tasking, which, Harry wonders, if Niall even notices whenever Melissa is staring at him like that from afar each time.

Harry and Eleanor look over at Melissa again and this time, she catches them both looking, so she averts her gaze away from their direction and pretends to talk with Sophia Smith. Harry and Eleanor look at each other with amusement written all over their faces, and Eleanor declares, "She has the thing for the Irish royalty."

Harry smirks, nodding, "Agree."

"Huh?" Niall asks, dumbfounded, "I thought I heard Irish?"

Eleanor laughs, waving Niall off, "Oh, no. Nothing, babe, just--just talking about what to wear in this event."

Niall's crystal blue eyes light up and he jumps up and down in his seat. "Right! Me too! Liam and I. We're so excited for this!"

"Harry and I as well!" Eleanor beams.

Harry grins on his own, just nodding and listening to Niall, Liam and Eleanor's plans. They look so excited and Harry's happy for his mates.

**______________________________**

The couple didn't take the bus ride to their flat today and had let Eleanor drive them--she insisted on doing it and so the two were totally in for it--and with no more than a whole 15 minutes or so, they're already stopping in front of their home. While the two clamber out Eleanor's car and while Harry's to head inside, Louis stops in front of Eleanor's window and motions for her to wind the window down so he can have a word.

Eleanor does so and once it's down, Louis tells her, "Come inside for a bit? I want to thank you for the ride. Uhm, make you tea or something."

Without thinking twice, Eleanor willingly takes the offer to heart and climbs out of her car, locking it with her keys and walks with Louis toward the flat. Louis cackles at that, finds her silly and all, letting her step inside first. Eleanor takes in the aura of the flat and well, she loves being here already, especially with the fact Dusty's welcomed her with a whole lot of purring and nestling. Eleanor announces she'd drop by again soon.

Perrie isn't yet home by the time they are having tea that Louis made despite it's already 6 in the evening, so they figure she must have caught traffic while she's at it. Just as Harry's setting up their teacups on the sink, Perrie barges inside the flat, calling out, "Whose car is parked here, boys? Could it be you have some visitor?"

Eleanor looks over to Louis at this, and then they both stand. "Hi, Pez!" Louis greets with a grin, motioning for Eleanor from across the table, "This is Eleanor; Eleanor, meet our flat mate and guardian, Perrie."

Eleanor wears her best smile as she lurches forward and sticks out a hand, "Hello!"

Perrie smiles at her and takes her offered hand, "Hi." They shake hands and pull away after. "You guys going to, uhm, make homework or something?"

"No, we-- uh, just," Harry starts but soon trails off, not sure what to say. Louis and Harry can tell Perrie's already wondering if this Eleanor girl is aware of their marriage.

"I offered them a ride home, so Louis kindly told me to stay for a bit and have a cuppa," Eleanor clarifies, still smiling. Harry thinks she's better acting her real self rather than the person she's been forcing herself to be--just so her parents get disappointed. "I'm just about leaving, s'what I'm meaning to say."

Perrie nods her head, "Ah... uhm, actually, it's fine. I was just, uh, wondering?"

Louis sighs, stepping forward, "It's fine, Pez. She knows."

Perrie and Louis stare at each other, and then Eleanor and Perrie look at each other, and then Harry look over to Louis all the way from nearby the sink and Harry glances over to Perrie. "Okay," Perrie finally mutters, "Cool. Just. Making sure, I guess." Walking toward Eleanor, Perrie invites her in for a hug, "Welcome! For the 2nd time and this is a real one, I say."

Eleanor, not knowing exactly what to do, just moves forward and hugs Perrie. "Thanks?" she asks, more than she says it.

Perrie pulls away and taps her shoulder, "You're a good girl, take care of my boys at school, yeah? Don't let anyone find out about their, you  _know_ , marriage. They don't want anyone knowing, see, so at first I thought something went wrong around here the moment I saw you."

Eleanor chuckles. "Right. Sorry about-"

"No need to apologise," Perrie cuts her off with a giggle, "gosh, don't. These two hate it when people apologise for the wrong reasons, and at this point, they'd only hate on me if I ever accepted your apology."

Eleanor looks over at Harry and Louis with wide eyes as if she does not believe what Perrie's telling her. "Okay then, well, that's... really kind of them."

Perrie rolls her eyes, clapping Eleanor's arm. "I know. You're dealing with a bunch of angels, so." Leaning in, Perrie whispers to her, "You're lucky to have someone like them; I just want to inform you. Thing is, I've been best friends with them since our childhood days, you know, diaper days? And even though they give me headaches whenever they're fighting and that I had to keep them disentangled at times that critical, they're still managing to make me love them more. They make me smile, to which, I bet they'll do just as the same with you. So, what I'm saying is, you better keep these keepers and never break their trusts. You're lucky they chose you."

Eleanor smiles at this, not saying anything but only sinking everything in...

And yes, she agrees to every little thing Perrie's said.  _I would never break their trusts_ , Eleanor's eyes tell Perrie. Perrie believes her.


	15. part fifteen: best friends day 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t  F i f t e e n:**   _Best Friends Day_

💘💘💘

When Eleanor leaves the household to go home, Perrie, Harry and Louis thank her and watch her car drive away until it's out of sight. Perrie cooks them dinner after quite some time and after they've all changed to their pyjamas, this time with Harry helping along. Perrie and Harry settle for cooking lasagna (Harry's masterpiece) and while they're eating, it's only then that Louis brings up the topic about the event.

"Come with us, Pez. It's going to be a blast with you there."

Perrie swallows her food and looks up to meet Louis' watchful gaze, anticipation flooding, "I don't know, Lou... I mean, I've never been in your school and you know how I hate parties."

Harry searches for Louis' hand from underneath their table and once it's found, he squeezes it, indicating they should tell her about the Bat Girl thingy.

"It's a Halloween party though, Pez, and well, you can like, dress up like Bat Girl?" Louis says suggestively, squinting.

Harry bites on his lower lip, actually nervous of how will Perrie answer to this.

Sipping on her water and gulping down everything she has on her throat, Perrie finally looks at her two best friends and heaves out a sigh of defeat. "Tell me, who thought about bribing me into going by wearing a Bat Girl costume? Hmm? Because, let me just say pointedly, it's totally fucking working," she deadpans.

Louis and Harry laugh at this, fist-pumping the air. "Let's go shopping tomorrow morning, yeah?" Harry inquires, beaming.

Perrie rolls her eyes and says nothing, just nodding her head, gripping her cutlery and keeping a smug smile. She loves Batman with all her heart, has been collecting shirts, hats, glasses and action figures of it, and well, the two knows it's her weakness aside from them, so.

After they eat dinner and clean up the mess that is their kitchen, Louis and Harry decide they want to sleep in Perrie's room with her, for being so happy and giddy about her coming with them, and it happens with no further discussion. Perrie settles in between them, letting her best mates snuggle with her tightly, and they all sleep after Harry's story-telling about bunnies and turtles falling in love after some competition (although it shouldn't end like that, Harry's just really a sap).

At 7 in the morning, Perrie cooks them breakfast and lets Dusty eat her cereal. Harry is still asleep, snuggled underneath Perrie's blankets and Louis' just about to get up, just stretching and doing a little bit of checking on his surroundings. When Louis' gaze drops to Harry next to him, he smiles and then leans down, kisses Harry's forehead and rolls out of bed. He walks to the kitchen and sees Perrie there, frying what seems to be a bunch of eggs and bacons, the aroma lingering under Louis' nostrils, making him swoon mentally; he's famished.

So the two of them eat. After quite some time, Harry's finally awaken, stretching and yawning like a kitten that he is. He goes to the loo for a morning pee and gargle water from the sink to wash away the stale feeling all over him, and then he sees Dusty by the couch but doesn't disturb her, instead joins Louis and Perrie in the kitchen, greeting them a drawl of  _good morning_. Louis stands up at that and takes Harry by the waist, kisses him on the mouth, to which Perrie giggles at, and then he makes them all tea while Perrie reprimands them about the costume shopping later on, being the stores opening at exactly 10 in the morning.

"Lou, have you thought about what costume you'll wear?" Harry asks conversationally, sipping on his tea.

Louis shrugs, picking on his food. "Nah, haven't. But I'm thinking Superman."

"Superman?" Harry muses, "That's ace."

Perrie nods, "Superman's cute."

"How about you, Haz?"

"Dunno. Haven't thought about it," Harry mumbles.

Louis claps his hand, "Let's see," he ponders, genuinely considering it, "What do you think will fit on you, sweetie? I mean, with that pretty baby face of yours, 'think it'll be Wonder Woman? With the whole blue, white, red stars and all?"

Harry blushes visibly, imagining himself in that. His curls will totally do Wonder Woman's crown justice.  _Ha_. Justice. Justice League. "Dressing up as Wonder Woman will earn me strange glances at school though, Lou."

"Right. Our bastard classmates would make fun of you. Uhm, how about those Bambi eyes of yours, 'think you want them brought to life? Be Bambi herself, perhaps? And those dimples and that gorgeous face, you think being a villain will do? Do the smirking thing, sweep me off my feet." Louis winks mischievously.

Harry's mouth is agape. "You're really serious about dressing up, huh, Lou?"

Perrie snickers. "Gosh, this is exciting."

Louis shrugs, going for nonchalance. "First time I ever gave a bullshit about school events, Haz, aren't you proud'a me? Plus, it's all for you anyway. I don't care if I'm wearing some yellow briefs above some blue tight tights, looking all so Superman-ish. It's only you I care about."

Harry blushes, imagining Louis in a Superman suit this time, his well-built body wrapped up in some tight royal blue suit, with a cape, or whatever, or if it's even that tight, Harry doesn't know yet, just, it's making Harry's insides flutter, all the way to his virgin dick. "Oh," is all he can muster out of sudden arousal.

"So," Perrie pipes in, clearing her throat, "That's cool and all guys, the whole flirting not-so-platonic-ish in front of the table just by discussing Halloween costumes, but. But I think Harry here is already getting horny imagining God-knows-what, so I'm suggesting we should all just, like, you know, move on to get ready for some costume shopping spree, yeah?" She says this bluntly in one swift mouth muscle-movement, rubbing her palms together. "Besides, it's almost time for shop openings. Just in about an hour."

Harry's full on blushing now, face a deep shade of crimson-red, from his cheeks, forehead and even his ears. "Mum!" He whimpers, "What the hell was that!"

Louis' biting on his lower lip, keeping a smug grin and Perrie's still wearing the same poker face, saying, "Hun, you're hard, I can see it from here, so I thought that, yeah, this kid is getting turned on-"

"Pez!" Harry exclaims frantically, covering Perrie's mouth, eyes wide and face burning, "Shut it! Shut it!"

Louis bursts out with laughter. "Oh, God."

Harry lets go of Perrie as she too laughs loudly along with Louis. Harry huffs, pouting in protest. "Pricks!"

The bantering in the kitchen continues on for a good half hour until the three of them decide they should shower then and go to the mall for shopping. Perrie wears her Batman shirt, some faded blue jeans, some white beanie with a fluffy pompoms on top, and then some coat to keep herself warm when outside. Harry and Louis settle for some woolly jumpers again, only this time, Louis' wearing his favorite maroon one and Harry's wearing Louis' gray one. They both wear beanies atop their heads, Louis wearing his reading glasses, contact lenses safely stashed away, and by Harry's request, they all wear their mittens; lilac for Perrie, pink for Harry and blue for Louis.

Outside, not many vehicles lurk the autumn leaves-filled streets, only a bunch of bike messengers, pedestrians and a few appearances of black cabbies and random driven cars, which is great. There's no traffic to make travelling difficult for them. The three settle in Louis' car (suggested by Perrie, saying they haven't used the car for some time now, so why not?) and they let Louis drive, since he's the only one who has license amongst them anyway. The drive only takes about 10 minutes and they're already at the nearest homey mall downtown. Louis parks the car on the mall's parking lot and locks it once they're all out of it.

Perrie gets them all to look through  _Toys R Us_  firstly, knowing it's one of the best sources of Halloween costumes with affordable prices, so thus they lurk around, looking for costumes they want for this party--most especially, Perrie's Bat Girl costume.

After so many hours of looking and after so many stores they've been in, eventually they settle for the ones they think are the best they can do. Perrie does find herself the Bat Girl costume she wants, with the whole package itself--some girly bat mask, small black bat cape, some pair of above the knee bat boots and some black mixed with purple sexy bat two-piece. Harry laughs at this, imagining what Perrie would look, because what are the odds, purple hair with black mixed with purple costume? Harry predicts it's going to be sick and sexy and that she'd be the center of attraction.

On the other hand, Harry buys himself a Loki outfit, with the wand and everything, the horn and all that and Louis still thinks he looks so pretty in it, pulling it off better than anyone. "You look so hot being a villain, baby," Louis has whispered huskily to Harry when he got out the fitting room earlier.

As for Louis, he doesn't settle for Superman after all, instead he goes for Spiderman. He thinks Peter Parker is hot and so is he. Perrie snorts at that.

Once they've purchased their costumes, Perrie requests to eat by the food court, whining about missing the atmosphere of eating with a whole bunch of other people she doesn't know. Which, odd. But what's not odd about a Perrie Edwards, though? So, the three of them go to the bottommost part of the mall and sit down on a table of four.

Harry and Louis want some sizzling plates, grated corns as side dish and Perrie wants something from KFC. When they tell each other which food they want to order, Perrie volunteers to buy, just so the two can look after themselves as well as the paper bags of costumes they bought.

The line at the sizzling plates isn't so long and Perrie's grateful for that--she's famished, damn famished, is the freaking thing--so she waits in line, smoothing the fabric of her coat against her chest as she stands from one foot to the other.

"Excuse me," some guy says behind Perrie, "do you know where to get spoon and fork around here? I've been looking and the lady from the counter told me to look for it before the line."

Perrie looks up, processing what the guy asked and she looks around, looking for the cutlery jar. "Uhm," she ponders, "I don't know, dude..." she says, trailing off, and then she meets the guy's eyes, staring right back at her. It's a light shade of brown, his eyes--a hazel--and he has some thick and long eyelashes framing them. His nose is pointed, a perfectly carved one and he's got some cherry red lips that Perrie thinks are so kissable and soft. The guy is the epitome of some teenaged Vogue magazine, in the world of modeling and. And  _okay_ , Perrie begrudgingly curses inside her head, what kind of security guards this mall have anyway, letting such perfect people come inside here, just like that, making single girls swoon?

"Oh, okay then," the guy says, sounding a bit awkward for some reason. Perrie hopes he's being like that because he's able to see someone that is as enthralling as Perrie Louise Edwards on a random day, in some random food court.  _Ha. You wish._

"Yeah," Perrie says, a little out of a whole and helpful statement too, just like the guy.

The guy doesn't say anything after that last exchange, but he doesn't move either, so Perrie waits patiently, waits for him to say something like any guy would do if they get awestruck with someone they just met.  _Again. Wishful thinking, Perrie._

"I'm Zayn, by the way," he finally says, and then he laughs shyly, scratching at the back of his neck in the most awkward way possible, "I mean, I-- I'm sorry, I just thought that-- uh, maybe, uhm, like I mean, I thought I should introduce myself? Erm, I..."

Perrie stares at him without saying anything for a minute, sinking in whatever it is that's happening, before she blinks and smirks blithely, "Well, hello Zayn. I'm..." she trails off for a moment, reaching out a hand for him to shake, and then she proceeds with a lie just for the fun of it. She knows she won't see this boy again anyway. Fate hates her. "I'm Lydia. Nice to meet you."

Zayn takes her hand oh so willingly and shakes it, smiling brightly, white pearls proudly flashing before her. Which, wow. "Nice to meet you too, Lydia." When they part from shaking, Zayn adds, "That's a nice name."

Perrie nods, still smirking. "Thank you. Yours too, Zayn."

Back on their table, Harry finds it strange that Perrie's taking a bit long with just ordering their meals, so he comes off with some conclusions that maybe she got lost or maybe is struggling with the trays. "Hey, Lou?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Perrie's taking too long. I'm going to look for her, wait here, yeah?" Harry says, standing up and kissing Louis on the forehead.

Louis just nods, letting him. Harry walks along the open way of the food court and looks for Perrie by the sizzling plates spot. Seeing her, Harry's eyes widen having noticed she's  _being chatted_  up by Zayn. Zayn freaking Malik from school. That bastard. Biting his lip, Harry takes a deep breath and womans up, going for freehand homicide. He approaches the two, but he tries for a passive aggressive facial expression and doesn't pay attention to no one but Perrie. That means ignoring Zayn. "Hey, I thought you got lost, mum, I've been waiting."

Perrie's actually startled when she sees Harry. "Oh, Harry!" She gasps, letting out a shaky giggle--a thing Harry knows she does when she's trying to do something suspicious. "You found me. I was just about to go back to our table, sweetie, but then I'm talking to this nice bloke here and he's kept me company, so."

Harry turns to look at Zayn and he's got one eyebrow raised, trying to intimidate Zayn, the one who's supposedly hitting on his best mate, part time mother, big sister and guardian angel. "Malik?" Harry muses, feigning oblivion, "You're here too, and... you know  _my_  Perrie, I suppose? She never mentioned you. Not. Even. Once."

Zayn looks confused, but is smiling regardless, despite probably catching on the fact that Perrie just lied to him about her real name. "Uh, Harry, hey. What do you mean, Perrie? I... You mean Lydia, right?" He asks cautiously, pointing to Perrie. "She told me her name was Lydia."

Harry's still got an eyebrow raised, and this time, he raises both. "Lydia?" He muses, and then he's shaking his head, laughing. Turning to Perrie once again, he says, "Perrie, what the hell is Malik saying-"

Perrie cuts Harry off by covering his mouth and pulling his head. "Nothing, babe, just-- can we just go back to our table now? I'll tell you all about it later at home," she hisses against Harry's ear.

Harry nods with no protests, no words. Zayn is still standing before them awkwardly, waiting patiently. It seems that Zayn doesn't give a fuck if Perrie's just lied to him and that all he's here for is to get to know her better. But then there's Harry Styles, the one he's making fun of at school (or not, because it's always been Nick anyway and that he just really doesn't talk to Harry because he's popular and the curly boy isn't), the one who's friends with Horan and Payne, the not-so-popular-virgins at school and Harry damn Styles, the one that a classroom president such as Zayn Javaad Malik isn't, and is never, friends with. Well, this is going to be a challenge then if he wants to be with a lovely girl with the purple hair, Zayn thinks.

Perrie gestures for Harry to take the trays by the counter and signals for Zayn that they're about to leave now. Zayn gets alerted by this because heck, he wasn't able to ask for Perrie's number yet and here she is, already trying to get away from him with Harry. "Wait," Zayn says and Perrie and Harry stop, "Can I... have your, uhm, number?"

Harry notices the way Perrie's face turns pink, letting him know--because he knows for sure--Perrie has a thing for the half-Pakistani classmate of his. He refrains from rolling his eyes at this, since he doesn't like Zayn at all. "Uh, sure," Perrie says finally. Zayn grins triumphantly, fishing out his phone. He hands it to Perrie and she punches her number in. "There you have it then. We're going now. Bye!"

Before Zayn can ask which name he should save in his contacts, whether it be Lydia or Perrie, Harry and Perrie already flee off and he's left standing there with the girl with the purple hair's precious number still idling on his mobile phone.

Well, Zayn is super fucking happy about this, no less.


	16. part sixteen: bat girl, loki, spider-man, thor, peter pan and fiona 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t S i x t e e n:**   _Bat Girl, Loki, Spider-Man, Thor, Peter Pan And Fiona_

💘💘💘

It's almost nighttime the moment Perrie, Harry and Louis get home and they're not knackered so they suppose they're still fine to go.

All full and giddy, the three of them immediately wear their costumes, Harry and Louis lining up in front of Perrie to have their faces dolled up with her makeup and styling skills. Harry is first to finish--with just a touch of foundation, a little blush to his cheeks and wax for his hair to be brushed up like Loki's--and it's Louis' turn eventually. Harry watches intensely as Perrie works her magic on Louis. She makes his cheeks blush, with blush-on; making his face look soft and smooth with her liquid foundation and presses a little bit of a powder to coat the sticky part of the wet foundation; lastly, she plays with Louis' long eyelashes (she envies Louis' naturally long eyelashes, that's why), taking off his reading glasses and using the curler and viola, Louis' beautified, done, finished. Harry's breath hitches against his throat when Louis looks up to him, enchanted, very enchanted. Louis' truly otherworldly with those thin cherry lips, long eyelashes and Peter Pan-ish features, and Harry, well, he aches to kiss him.

Perrie giggles, seeing their exchange of admiration, biting her tongue keep herself from interfering at all, or much worse, teasing them about it, because then she might cut the sweet moment and she'd just hate herself for that. Instead of intervening, Perrie proceeds to do her hair, tying it up in a high ponytail, and then she tells Louis to wear his contact lenses so they can leave then. After minutes of doing so, the three of them are done, ready to go.

While Harry and Louis wait outside their flat, Perrie makes sure that Dusty has something to eat before they leave; when she's left her some cat food by the side of the door, she goes out, locks the door behind her and they all leave the place, all dressed in their costumes, Louis not wearing his Spider-Man mask yet.

Fargo High School itself is loud and looking quite obnoxious from the outside, the event being so obvious from the far distance. Perrie and Harry are walking together, Louis going the other way around, for their acting-like-they-don't-care-for-each-other stunt.

"Wow," Perrie muses, looking around, witnessing a whole bunch of students, boys and girls, in their Halloween costumes, "Surely, co-ed is sick."

Harry nods, "Yeah, I know. Why don't you try studying here, hmm?"

Perrie scoffs, tightening her hold on Harry's arm. "No, hunny, thank you. The last time I did back in our Elementary school, boys got to my nerves. Also, all the lasses tried to act as though they were teenagers already, flirting so hard, and looking so desperate. I almost got counted like them even though I certainly am not. I don't fancy it."

Harry cackles. "Agreed. It's the same here actually. Tessa is the biggest flirt."

The moment Perrie and Harry get inside the school gates, Harry receives a text from Louis, saying:  ** _Zayn told me he met Perrie but said lied about being Lydia. What's happening? See u inside, btw. Love u and Pezza xxx_**

Harry snorts, showing the message to Perrie, "Look what you did, Pez."

Perrie reads the text and she laughs. "Oh, leave it. I was trying to come off mysterious until you came, you little goof." Fixing their entangled arms together, Perrie leans closer to Harry as they look for the  _AVR_ upstairs. "That Zayn guy has been texting me anyway and I already told him that my name is Perrie; the lie was a joke, I also confessed to him. So it's cool."

Harry nods, grinning. "Okay, I see."

"Is he like, your classmate or something? You two seem to know each other, and even Lou."

"Well, he's our class president, actually. Lou's footie mate too. Pretty popular at school," Harry answers curtly.

Perrie nods, "Ah."

Harry looks down at her with a raised eyebrow. "Interested on the bloke?"

Perrie looks up, and then shrugs noncommittally, "Might be. Dunno."

Harry nudges her and laughs, "Zayn is... I don't know. He's all right, I guess? But I never really liked him, to be perfectly honest, even if I'm aware of his existence for almost 5 months now."

"Why?" Perrie asks, "He seems nice."

"Nice to  _you_ ," Harry insists, squeezing Perrie's hand, "because you're wonderful and hot and you're a  _girl_."

Perrie actually blushes, and she looks down on her Bat Girl boots, mumbling, "Thank you, Harold. Wow."

"No need for thanking, mum, jeez," Harry says, chuckling. Perrie chuckles along.

Not too near at the exact venue yet that is the AVR, Niall and Liam are already jogging toward Harry and Perrie, calling out, "Harry! Mate, you came!"

Harry's eyes brighten up, grin widening by the second. "Niall! Liam!" He calls back, "Hey!"

Niall and Liam stop in front of them, panting. Liam is wearing a Thor outfit, making his biceps and broad shoulders bulge, making Harry and Perrie gape momentarily, but not saying anything about it, while Niall is wearing a Peter Pan outfit, which, Harry remembers as to why Louis didn't choose being a Peter Pan tonight, considering he literally is Peter Pan anyways. In totality, Niall and Liam obviously thought about their outfits for tonight because they've perfectly pulled them off better than anybody else.

"So, Harry. Who's she?" Niall asks eventually, after studying each other's costumes for the night, thumbing Perrie.

"Oh," Harry says, "This is Perrie. My flat mate. Pez, meet my mates here at school; Niall and Liam. I've told you about them countless times, remember?"

Perrie's eyes light up, remembering, "Oh, yes! Yes, Harry did tell me about you two. It's nice to finally meet you both." The three of them shake hands.

"You too, Ms. Perrie," Liam says politely, smiling like the gentleman he truly is.

"Me is Niall," Niall quips, "Nice to meet you, Bat Girl."

Perrie laughs, giving Niall his very first smack right across his head from her already. "Shut up, Peter."

Niall's had his eyes squinted, facial expression turned into one of those mischievous and shocked. Harry mouths in a sheepish manner,  _Amazon_ , and Niall nods, understanding.

The introduction between the four of them lasts for a while before they finally decide to go inside the party itself.

Inside the  _AVR_ , the first thing they notice is the theme of the party; Orange, Purple and Black, strobe lights (no disco ball) being the only source of light, pumpkins with creepy faces and candle lighting inside everywhere and white spooky ghosts at each window, serving as the curtain itself. It surely is a Halloween party, all right, and Harry and Perrie love it so!

Liam and Niall immediately make their way to where the foods are sprawled out; punches of juice that are colored red to make it seem like vampire blood, barbecues-on-stick to serve as chop-chopped meat by wolves, and many, many more. While the two eat and banter around the snacking table, Perrie pulls Harry with her to sit by the bar stools against the walls, and so they did. From where they choose to sit, they can see the entire area that's filled with dancing students dressed in their Halloween costumes. Some are dressed as princesses, fairies, zombies, as Count Dracula (it's Nick Grimshaw, Harry scoffs at that), white ladies, Batman, and all sorts of characters and monsters.

"Pez, wait here, I'll get us drinks, yeah?" Harry tells Perrie loudly in her ear, beating the loud music booming all over the place. Perrie hears him, and so she nods her agreement. Harry hops off the stool and pushes through the crowd of mingling bodies of his school mates.

While Perrie looks over the crowd, she feels that someone's eyeing her. Instinctively, Perrie whips her head around to check, and then yes, she sees Zayn looking at her from afar, drinking something with his friends. He's with Louis too, it turns out, which is just perfect, thinks Perrie, because clearly, Perrie's been looking for him for quite some time now and that finally she's seen him, and although she doesn't expect him to be with Zayn (or she does, whatever), it's all fine with her. Having a bit of a company won't hurt anyway, she thinks.

Just then when Harry's returned, Zayn is pulling Louis with him to go to where Perrie and Harry are. Quite annoyed, Louis searches the direction Zayn is telling him to go at, and when he sees that Perrie and Harry are together and that it's them that Zayn is aiming for, his eyes light up and he obliges to come with Zayn.

"Hey! I didn't expect for you to be here! Uhm, Harry must've brought you, yeah? Still remember me from earlier?" Zayn shouts through the loudness of the music, leaning toward Perrie, still holding Louis' wrist.

Perrie looks at Louis and Harry first, before responding to Zayn with a nod. "Harry did invite me here. Coaxed me of wearing a Bat Girl costume, so I was pulled along. And yes, Zayn, I do remember you. Goodness, I'm only 17, not 65. I believe I have a great memory."

Louis and Harry snicker at their spots, Zayn not having to notice it because of the darkness of the place. Letting go of Louis, Zayn smiles brightly and lends out a hand for Perrie to take. "Okay then, Ms. Only-17-year-old-and-not-65, can I have this dance? Shall we?"

Perrie sips on her blood-red drink firstly before agreeing, sliding down the stool and letting Zayn balance her to her feet until she steps on the ground. "Oh, thank you," Perrie gushes, giggling. Zayn grins like an utter fool at that, everyone around him clearing mentally on his point of view and Perrie being the only one that he's paying attention to. By the time the two make it at the center of the dance floor and start dancing, Zayn wrapping his arms around Perrie's waist and Perrie resting her arms around Zayn's neck, Louis takes the opportunity to sit next to Harry by the stools.

The tension between them is surfacing, the music that's booming all over the place becoming more indulging and melodic. As they both come to think about it, it's actually their very first time to ever sit next to each other like this in front of the entire campus people, the very first time, ever, that they are out in the area, being so, so near and close to each other like this, and. And they feel... they're feeling good about it. The feeling of ecstasy that they never knew they'd feel somehow just by being so close to one another in an open area; it feels so right and accurate and relevant and all the good words they can possibly define it with. The moment is an utter supremacy.

The lights that are looming all over the place are dark, dimmed and illuminating; the strobe lights dancing, partying with them and making them blind with their sights, and Louis thinks of it as perfection. He's able to dance with Harry with this sort of lighting, and yes, he's taking risks now. It's his time to have bravery right on hand. Louis looks over at Harry, who is sipping on his drink and is also looking right back at him with wide pretty glassy eyes, adorable face and Loki hotness outfit. "Hey, Haz," Louis says, "Wanna dance?"

Harry bites on his lower lip as he puts down his glass. "You... You sure, Lou?" He stammers in spite of himself.

Louis shrugs, grinning like a dork. "The lights are off, baby, we can hide our faces amongst the crowd. Nobody will know."

Harry purses his lips, and then he shrugs. "Let's have at it, then."

The both of them slide down their stools and hand in hand make it to the dance floor, making sure they are far from their classmates, especially from Tessa and her friends, Niall and Liam, the football team and the teachers that are lounging by the table next to the stage.

When they stop at some spot where most are only Year Tens dancing, Harry puts both his arms around Louis' neck as he lets Louis snake his arms around his waist; they dance slowly, emotions flooding them, love and fondness barricading them. Harry leans his head against Louis' chest as Louis rests his cheek atop his head, keeping each other closer, closer, and closer. They don't speak, don't make any conversation whatsoever, they just dance. Enjoying each other's presence and warmth.

By the time the slow song ends, Louis parts from Harry to see his face. He misses him is all, that's why. Louis smiles warmly at Harry, fondly, lovingly. "The dance was nice, yeah?" He asks Harry.

Harry nods, smiling just as warm and fond. "It was perfect. Superb."

Louis and Harry come back to the stools, hand in hand, their hands sweating against each other. The second they reach it, Harry's already letting go of Louis' hand because right there and then they see Tessa, chatting up Zayn and Perrie.

"Loulou!" Tessa squeals when she sees Louis, and almost instantly, she lunges on Louis and hugs him. "Let's dance!"

Perrie's gaping, and then she's glaring. She averts her gaze from Louis to Harry, and then she understands right away. Louis excuses himself with Tessa hot on her heels, following Louis out on the dance floor. Zayn as well, telling them he's getting them drinks. They dismiss him.

Harry sits next to Perrie and they both roll their eyes, annoyed at Tessa.

"So, I reckon that's the bitch who's been bitching around your husband, yeah?" Perrie deadpans, leaning on Harry.

"Meticulously, yeah," Harry confirms.

"S'Gruesome," comments Perrie.

"Vile."

"Objectionable."

"Noisome."

"Repugnant."

"Nasty?" Harry quips, almost laughing now.

Perrie shakes her head, "I say repellent."

"So, you're reading more books now then, is that it?" Harry inquires, cocking an eyebrow at her. Perrie just shrugs, smiling, all smug. Harry nudges her and laughs. "How very dare you, you little  _frump_."

"Shut up, commoner," Perrie shoots back, nudging him too.

Zayn comes back after some time and he's got some glasses of drinks for him, Perrie and Harry. They thank him and Zayn immediately engages himself some conversation with Perrie and Harry.

 _Great_ , Harry thinks, Zayn must be courting him now as well just because he fancies his best mate. Well, Harry supposes he will see what'll happen then and this better turn out good.

The evening drags on, everybody's still dancing and Harry can see Louis from afar, gazing at him. Harry smiles.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Harry Styles."

"Huh?" Harry whips around.

"Yo," Eleanor says, grinning.

"Hey," Harry beams, hugging Eleanor, "Where were you? 'Been here?"

"Just arrived, actually," Eleanor says, beaming back, "I was bored at home, see, so I went out for a bit and then I just found myself buying some Halloween costume at some thrift shop, and now here I am, joining the escapade or whatever it is that's happening here."

Harry chuckles. "Ah, well, I arrived with Perrie and Louis. Here's Perrie --," he points at Perrie, who is talking to Zayn in a rather intimate way, "-- uh, and Louis' on the dance floor. Got dragged by Tessa."

Eleanor nods. "Cool. So, you having fun? Wanna dance? Get some drinks?"

Harry shakes his head. "Nah, I'm fine here. How about you?"

"I'm fine here too," Eleanor says simply. "Anyway, where are Niall and Liam?"

"I... now that you've mentioned, I actually don't know," he says slowly, realizing he isn't spending some time with them, "they were here, but then... I don't know."

Eleanor is looking out the venue, and then she's suddenly pointing, "There! I see Niall!"

"Huh? Where? And what about Liam?" Harry quizzes, looking over the crowd as well.

"Oh, there!" Eleanor chirps, "And, he's dancing with.... wait, is that...  _Smith_?"

"Really?" Harry muses. And he sees it's true, Liam is wrapped up with Sophia Smith, the cheering squad's best, like, the best dancer out of the entire group itself. "Holy..."

"Well, well, well," Eleanor muses, "Niall with Melly and Liam with Soph; bunch of hottie cheerleaders. They surely know who to fancy, eh? And I thought they were just-"

"Behave little angels that don't flirt around because everybody thinks they're virgins and all that?" Harry quips, smirking at Eleanor.

Eleanor cocks an eyebrow, "Uhuh, that's what I thought, but... I guess, not anymore."

Harry shrugs. "But you know, those two never mentioned to me that they are indeed getting along with those ladies."

Eleanor leans back and levels her gaze with Harry, who is watching his mates dancing so intimately with Melissa Whitehall and Sophia Smith. "You mean, like yourself, Harry?" She asks, smirking mischievously, "Because the last time I checked, I just caught you snogging the most popular boy in our school--not to mention,  _the captain_ \--to which every girl here has been swooning for--," Harry wants to chime in and defend his shameful self, but Eleanor carries on, "--and! He's your  _husband_  too. I mean, come on, Harry."

Harry sighs loudly, "Yeah, yeah,  _okay_ , whatever."

Eleanor laughs triumphantly, fist-pumping the air. Harry playfully glares at her, and shoots back, serving it as a little consolation or vengeance. "By the way, you look weird being Fiona. You should've just gone as Shrek or Donkey."

Eleanor smacks him right across the head with that. "Bollocks."

And so the night goes on, Louis coming back to where Eleanor and Harry are, taking them both in hands and pulling them to the dance floor. Harry laughs giddily, feeling very happy, same with Eleanor, who is also laughing and jumping up and down her Fiona dress. The three of them settle to stand next to Zayn and Perrie who are practically glued to each other now, just dancing to the music, huddling together like 5 year-old kids, letting loose and having fun.

It's going to be a night of satisfactory.


	17. part seventeen: there are first times for everybody 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t S e v e n t e e n:**   _There Are First Times For Everybody_

💘💘💘

The sound of the birds chirping mercilessly by the nest sitting on the tree next to Harry and Louis' bedroom window wakes Harry up from a satisfying slumber. He yawns and stretches, nudging Louis' arm a little, being the older boy cuddled with his once sleeping figure. Louis stirs at that, getting interrupted momentarily from his own little dreaming state. Harry looks at him sheepishly for a moment, until he falls right back to sleep again and Harry feels instantly relieved.

"That's right, go back to sleep, handsome man," Harry says softly, his voice still groggy from sleep, carding Louis' fringe so he can seek out his husband's forehead; Harry kisses it gently and then he rolls out of bed, carefully walking toward the closet to dress himself up.

With a pair of socked feet, wearing only some plaid pyjamas and some white shirt, Harry tiptoes against the carpeted floor of their room and passes by Dusty on the rug underneath him, smiling down on her grumpy sleeping position, Dusty's furry white stomach exposed. She looks so incredibly comfortable with any position she does and Harry wonders if she ever dreams as well, like them humans, but then he bets it's just about all the fishes she can eat for breakfast, lunch and supper. Harry snickers mentally at the thought.

Just as Harry's reached the door, making it through all the mess of their bedroom--his and Louis' scattered clothes from last night, school notebooks and some random jigsaw puzzles being one of them--someone on the other side of the door knocks, softly, instinctively, and Harry furrows his eyebrows at that. What time is it? Perrie's already awake? Interesting...

Harry opens the door, curious. And--surely, Perrie is there, greeting him, "Hey. Good morning, Haz."

Harry steps out the room, shuts the door behind him gently, and then greets Perrie back, engulfing her in a hug, "Morning. What's up, Pez? I reckon you needed something?"

They pull apart and Perrie has this slightly troubled facial expression, her eyebrows furrowing slowly as though  _thinking deeply_ , but then changing it into sheepishness, her purple hair a complete mess, looking almost like a sex hair rather than a bed hair (if Harry's being perfectly accurate with his judgments) and her cheeks are obviously blooming rosy--absolutely nothing like the natural just-awaken-Perrie herself. What's up with her?

"Well, uh," Perrie stutters, blushing, and oh, okay then, something's definitely up, Harry just knows, because Perrie doesn't normally stutter, especially not in an early morning like now.

"Hey, tell me, what is it, babe?" Harry asks again, now coming off worried and concerned, cupping her face.

"I have, uhm, a visitor, Harry," Perrie finally utters out, shutting her eyes as she inhales sharply, "Someone slept over, with me, on my bed, last night."

Harry's face flushes. "What," he almost chokes out, "Who, Pez? By chance, is it..."  _Please tell me it's not Zayn. Please tell me it's not Zayn. Please tell me it's not Zayn. Let it be anyone but that boy._

"Uh... yes," Perrie confirms his guess. Harry winces internally. "It's him. Zayn. And we kind of, uhm..." She trails off, biting her lip, looking rather embarrassed.

Harry doesn't seem to follow though, only thinking about a slumber party, so he keeps quiet, just staring at her. So now it's bright blue eyes versus Harry's innocent green ones.

At this point, with Perrie still too ashamed to continue her statement, Zayn appears behind her from just coming out of her bedroom and wraps both his arms around her waist, startling Harry by the shameless gesture, considering he's still standing there and that Zayn should at least get some room to do such act. "Morning, love," Zayn murmurs and breathes in against Perrie's nape, nuzzling his nose at her skin and kissing just there.

Harry's gaping at this, blinking rapidly and he can't seem to process everything all at once. His part time mother, best mate and big sister is currently being snuggled by some guy that he doesn't like at all (or he is never friends with) that is Zayn. Harry's brows raise, his lips twitch on a grimacing expression, his blood boiling by the second. "Malik. What the hell are you doing with Perrie?" Harry hears himself biting out.

"Huh?" Zayn looks up from behind Perrie, who is looking at Harry sheepishly, "Oh, Harry, hey."

Harry grits his teeth in rage and steps forward as fast as he can, grabbing Perrie and yanking her away from Zayn's arms, "Let go of Perrie, you scum! How even dare you stay the night here in our flat? For one, I don't want your cocky hands on my Perrie, secondly--"

"--secondly, we're  _dating_... Haz," finishes Perrie, her voice small and vulnerable. Harry looks at her with a pair of widened eyes, pretty much shocked about the whole situation.

"Pez," Harry squeaks, "What? How come?"

Perrie sighs. "He asked me out, Haz, that's how."

Harry still can't believe what he's hearing right now, his mouth agape, and before he can say something upsetting, Zayn steps up and takes Perrie's hand. "Harry... I'm sorry, but I hope you don't mind if I date Perrie," Zayn says softly, "I mean, I know she's your childhood best mate and all that, but it doesn't mean that you own her completely, yeah? She also deserves someone that would make her happy. Like, a boyfriend."

"And that would be you, you suppose?" Harry asks incredulously, backing away a little, "Wow, Zayn. You're like an utter tool at school, man. Why do you think I'd let you date my big sis, huh?"

Zayn sighs, " _Because_ , Harry, I am not a tool like you think I am--like others think I am. People don't always talk to other people, you know, just like you to me. If you're mad about me not approaching you at school, then--"

"No. God,  _no_ , Zayn," Harry interrupts, amused by this absurdity, "I am not mad about that. I don't care if you distance away from me, Niall and Liam. The thing is, I know guys like you. And from what I know, guys like you break hearts as if you were born for it, and well, I don't want you breaking Perrie's, so I suggest--"

"Harry, oh my God," Zayn cuts in. He sighs. "I won't break Perrie's heart. Jesus Christ." Harry watches intensely as Zayn squeezes Perrie's hand as though he is afraid that Perrie will listen to his theories about Zayn being a heart breaking twat. "Harry, I... I will admit that I did leave Rebecca, Hannah, and my other ex-girlfriends from our school, but. But I'm promising you, Harry, that this time--this time, I won't. Look," he sighs loudly, this time coming off a bit exasperated, "I don't know what's got into me either, like, to be completely honest, but...  _somehow_ , Perrie, she--she's managed to steal my heart. Just like that. The first time I've seen her on that food court, I've immediately decided to approach her and just come up with any excuses just to talk to her--even if it'd been the lamest one. I even told myself right away after I had her number that I want her, that I want to be with her, take care of her or better yet,  _love_  her. I don't know, Harry," Zayn says, sounding sincere, now holding Harry's shoulder, "it was weird and all. Strange even, but, somehow... I'm still hoping for the best, like for this to work out, I-- I'm so sure about Perrie. I won't hurt her like you think I will, mate. I promise you."

Harry is out of retort, out of words, and all the sudden, his furrowing brows are losing its hardness, his overprotective persona, taming altogether.

Seeing that stunned facial expression of Harry, Perrie butts in, taking Harry and Zayn by surprise by wrapping her arms around Harry. "It's all right, babe," she whispers in his ear, "I have this sort of good vibes with Zayn. If you want, you can interrogate me all about it later. After all, I can tell he's true to his feelings toward me. I bet he won't hurt me."

Harry purses his lips into a hard line, thinking it through firstly, before finally heaving out a sigh of defeat. "Okay then," he mumbles out, "Lou and I will do. Later."

Perrie nods against his shoulder before letting go. When Perrie turns to Zayn, he's neither smiling nor frowning, and is just instinctively waiting if he has more to prove to Harry about his sincerity upon dating Perrie. Knowing that there's none anymore, Zayn suppresses a smile and then he takes Perrie by the waist so he can be led toward the door to leave the flat. Harry watches from afar, leaning against the wall, his overprotective persona switched on once again.

He witnesses as Perrie tiptoes to her feet to peck Zayn on the lips, and with no more than a minute or so, he's stepping out the flat and is out the threshold.

Perrie returns only to catch Harry's intense gaze locked on her. She sighs at that and beckons for him to come with her to the kitchen. "Come on now my baby deer in shining armor, I'll make us some tea."

**______________________________________**

By the time Louis wakes up and finishes using the loo, he joins Perrie and Harry by the kitchen for some tea, kisses Harry on the nose and sits next to him. Louis can almost tell that something's up the moment he sits with them and he demands to know right away what the matter is.

At this, Perrie looks at Harry for help, but Harry just openly and straightforwardly tells his husband right away that, "Zayn stayed over. He just went home, actually."

With amusement in his bright blue eyes, Louis leans forward and ruffles Perrie's hair, joking about how blooming she looks, noting sex, to which he earns himself a Perrie-smack™, and before he can even laugh it off, Harry hisses at him about taking the matter  _seriously_ , and so it's granted. The three of them quiet down.

Clearing her throat to have everyone's attention on the table, Perrie decides to fire up the conversation herself, "Okay, so. Lou, Haz, first off, I want to say sorry for not telling you about him staying over last night. Erm, it just sort of occurred, see? When we drank. So peace out, yeah?" Harry and Louis nod, accepting her apology, encouraging her to continue. "Right. And uhm... well, obviously, Zayn and I, we're sort of dating now, which, clearly, Harry has a problem with--and I'm hoping Louis has none. So, what I want to know, will you two ever change your mind about disliking Zayn?"

"Zayn? I don't have any problem with the bloke," Louis answers easily, his tone a little too confident.

Harry on the other hand, crosses his arms in a rather annoyed way, and then he huffs, "Of course you  _won't_  have any a problem with Malik. You're  _best mates_ with him." Harry rolls his eyes, looking and sounding bitter.

"Seriously though, Haz, Zayn is okay, I'm telling you. It's just that you're not close to him that much--"

"That much," Harry mimics sourly, the words lingering at the tip of his tongue. Well, Harry deems it tastes bad. "Yes, Lou. I am not indeed. That's because your mates hate me. They hate kids like me--virgins like me--dorks like me. They are all menaces, your best mates at school!" Harry shouts, looking furious, brows creased. "Look, I don't care what you think about Zayn, I still disagree about this Perrie-Zayn relationship. I doubt he'll take Perrie seriously. I bet he'll just crush her just like what he did with his other ex-girlfriends from our school."

Louis stands up from his seat as he pounces on the table, "Harry!"

"No!" Harry stands up as well as he too pounces on the table. And now they are 5 year-old kids again, fighting.

"You don't know Zayn, Harry! He's a nice lad! He won't hurt Perrie, I can assure you!"

"Lou! Are you hearing yourself right now? This is Perrie we are discussing! We can't just lend her over that Zayn Malik bloke because we fucking both know that--," Perrie cuts through telling Harry not to swear, but she's quickly tuned out for Harry forges on, "--he's a  _player_! He toys on girls' hearts and breaks them right after!"

Louis stares at Harry for a short moment, sinking in the fact that they're actually yelling just because of some petty argument, and then he sits down on his seat, sighing loudly. "Oh God," he groans, covering his face with his palms, "I can't believe we're fighting over this, Haz."

Harry blinks at that, just gazing down at Louis. Moments later, after glancing at Perrie across him, Harry eventually sits down as well, sagging. "I... Yeah, oh God. I'm so sorry," he mumbles.

The room falls silent. After some time, Louis is already reaching out to Harry, clasping his hand with his, and then he whispers, "Can we just-- I mean, can we just let Perrie handle her own relationship, Haz? She's a big girl now, baby, and I bet she can tame Zayn. She's Pezza after all-- _our_  Pezza. She can dominate Zayn, I promise you. Just, I don't want to fight with you just because of this. Besides, I can tell Pez fancies the bloke... And you know, Zayn really is a nice lad, see, just give him a chance to prove you that. I mean, I won't be mates with him in the first place if he's a twat."

Harry bites his lip, considering Louis' words--Louis's soft spoken words--as he glances at Perrie for the second time. She's looking hopeful from where she is and Harry thinks fuck. "Okay," he breathes out, finally, "I'll... give him a chance then. If that's what my husband and mum want, sure."

Perrie's eyes light up, smiling brightly. "Thank you, Haz," she says softly, fondly, "I'm really happy I somehow got your approval."

Looking at Perrie this close and this soft and this genuinely happy, Harry sucks in a deep breath and shakes his head in utter disbelief. "Wow, Pez. I suppose you really had it bad with this one. Am I correct?"

Perrie nods shyly, biting her lip, "He's... he's really great in the sack, Haz. Can you blame me?"

Louis snorts. "Ah, I see then. That explains it."

Harry laughs. "Oh my  _God_ , mum. Too much information!"

Perrie laughs along. "I was kidding, you goof! You both seem so worked up because of me, so I thought I should say something to make you both loosen up. So, how are you two now? Good?"

Harry and Louis look to each other and shrug. "Yeah, 'suppose so," Harry answers for their behalf, "but mum, I swear if Zayn ever broke your heart, I'm going to kill him for you."

Perrie reaches out and ruffles Harry's curls. "Aww, Haz, I appreciate the offer, I really do, but. How are you able to do that, babe? You're like, this cute little lamb with fluffy curls and deep, deep dimples, and like, I'm afraid you're way too adorable to be in jail, so."

"Yeah, you're welcome," Harry deadpans, face heating up at the teasing compliments.

Louis laughs as he stands up from his chair, popping up behind Harry's seat. He bends down and snakes his arms around Harry, hugging him securely, "My Harry is so small and adorable, isn't he? The police won't even let him stay in jail even just for a night, let alone an eternity. That would make them look silly."

Harry scoffs, agitated. But then he pouts, going lax in Louis' hold. "You both suck. Honestly," he mutters.

"Honestly," Perrie echoes.

Louis massages Harry's cheeks, the from-right-to-left motion that he usually does when he and Perrie are both picking on Harry, and just like that their bantering ends, because the next thing Louis knows is Harry's asking for more and surely, he gives him more.

Perrie watches them both do just that and smiles quietly to herself, heaving a contented sigh. Seems like some heavy weight had just been lifted off her shoulders, just by being able to have Harry's approval of her and Zayn's relationship. And boy if that isn't one of the best feelings. She feels so joyful about it.

While Harry and Perrie start cleaning up around the kitchen, Louis takes the opportunity to go back to their bedroom to take their laundry to the basement for some washing, but then he sees Harry's phone blinking, so he peers over it to see why that is. Louis sees Niall's sent Harry a message. He picks it up and taps read.

**_Mate ! Pints for a sunday ! Come pls pls pls this will be our last invitation and i promise u ur mum won't be upset bc we will take u home early just consider it mate plss_ **

Louis' brows furrow and he brings Harry's phone out the room to question him about it. He never knew Niall invites Harry to go out and that Harry objects. Louis wonders as to why would Harry object though, considering they never party that much anyway and that being home all the time must be boring him. When Louis sees Harry by the kitchen, he's just finished with the dishes and Perrie's already feeding Dusty beside the fridge.

"Hey, Haz, Niall texted you."

Harry whips around after drying his hands on the towel by the fridge, and he raises his eyebrows in question. "What'd he say?"

Louis hands him his phone. "Inviting you out."

Harry's brows are creasing all the sudden and he's shaking his head. "Oh, oh, no," he murmurs, inspecting his phone. Surely, Harry reads Niall's text and Louis can see him licking his lips as he does so. Louis stands to his other foot from the other, looking away because he'd rather not watch those full pink lips become even pinker. He's just feeling the urge to get some more and more, and that the feeling is going all the way down to his dick, one of which is involuntarily twitching right now, by the way (the effect is a little frustrating for Louis and well, bless Harry for being able to cope with his, whenever he's imagining things about Louis that also affects him).

By the time Harry's shoving his phone to his pocket, Louis turns back to him. "So, what'd you tell him then?" he asks, clearing his throat to clear his head off sexual...thoughts.

Harry shrugs, simply says, "I'm not coming."

"What? Why?"

"Well," Harry pauses, thinking it through firstly as to why would he not anyway, but then he remembers, "Because you wouldn't want me going, Lou. Right? I mean, that would be unfair to you?"

"What? No, Haz," Louis says, shaking his head, "That's not true at all. You can go if you want to, you know. Yes, of course you can tell me, ask for my permit whatsoever, but you know I'll always let you, right? So you can have fun."

"Oh." Harry stuffs his hand on his pocket again and fishes out his phone tentatively. "You sure, Lou?" He asks for the last time, just to make sure. When Louis nods, Harry starts composing another text to Niall to say that he's in. With an instant, Niall replies saying:  ** _Great ! see u at 8 harold !_**

So Harry has somewhere to go at eight in the evening later then.

**___________________________________**

Louis fidgets with his chosen clothes in hand, glancing at Harry back and forth from time to time, while he sits on the floor in front of their drawers. He's sweating coolly, and at this point all he wants to do is ask Harry if he wants to shower with him and rekindle the first time they did  _it._ Thing is, Louis' sexually frustrated now and it's been damn 18 years and yet he still hasn't got off with Harry, like fully the way he wants it.

Harry is sitting on their bed, is reading a book, looking so innocent and young with his big hands clutching the thing, open-mouthed and cuddly, his curls an incredibly soft-looking one tonight and baggy shirt covering his milky torso. Louis aches having to admire this view and he wants him...he wants him now. Right this instant.

Standing up from the floor, Louis slowly makes his way to their bed as well and sits next to Harry, dipping the bed as he does so. Harry looks up from his book and gives Louis a quizzical look. "Hey, Lou. What's the matter?"

Louis swallows hard and is about to say something, but then his vocal abilities betray him, so he bites his tongue and just shrugs.

Harry smiles, one of those that's making his dimples show and deepen. "Oh, come on, Lou. Tell me, what's up?"

"I, uhm..."

Harry stares at him, all wide green eyes and open-mouthed, looking oh so innocent and juvenile. "You, what, babe?"

There goes that bloody 'babe'. Well. "Let's shower, yeah?" Louis squeaks out.

Harry doesn't catch it. "Pardon, babe?"

Louis gulps, and this time he looks at Harry straightly in the eye. "I said, let's... uhm, shower? Together."

"Oh." Harry turns pink, lowering down his book over his lap, gazing at Louis before him.

Louis is as red as tomato. "Well?" he presses softly, his voice almost coming off as whisper.

Harry doesn't say anything with that, instead he drops his book on the bed and folds it close leaving a bookmark. He takes Louis' hand and pulls him with him as they both walk their way to the bathroom. Louis' face heats up as he watches Harry strips off his baggy clothes and pyjamas, revealing his milky soft skin and pink rashes-kissed bum, like it doesn't matter, like it's no big deal, like they've done this countless times before.

Harry smiles at Louis over his shoulder once he's fully naked, encouraging Louis to strip out of his clothes as well so they can shower. Louis nods, taking that as an okay, licking his lips while he does what he's been encouraged to do so. After they're both naked, Harry locks the door behind them and he takes Louis' hand again and leads him to the tub, climbing in it and pulling the shower curtains close.

Louis can't help avert his gaze from time to time to admiring Harry's ever building up torso to admiring his half-hardened cock that's almost reaching his abdomen--that long, massive. Funny thing is, despite how young Harry is, 16, and despite his pretty fem-ish looks, he's still bigger than Louis, and well, it always fascinates Louis how he's able to keep all his frustrations to himself when really, all he wants is to always give Harry blow jobs and hand jobs whenever he has the chance to (which is every night/every weekend, frankly).

Not taking his first move because he's too flustered at the sudden straightforwardness of Harry and all, Louis just continues to pinch his sides and feign nonchalance. Harry smirks at this. Truth of the matter is, Harry's thought about this a million times right after that incident in their bed the last time Louis got hard, and he thinks, like solemnly thinks that it might've hurt for Louis' part to not have what he wanted at the time, and so Harry thinks, why not? Sooner or later, they're going to do this, they will experiment things such as this, well, because it's a part of love--making love is a part of loving someone--Anne once told Harry that she and her father made him because of making love, of having sex, and by doing it, it makes your bond tighter, it wraps you and your partner even tighter and it makes you love them even more, makes them love you back even more. So, here, Harry thinks, he's going to give it to Louis. Whatever it is that he wants right now.

Louis is hard. His cock is hard and red, curved upright, resting against his skin, almost reaching his stomach and Harry finds it rather alluring. It's not their first time ever seeing each other completely naked like this, but somehow it's different from the last time. The last time they've done this, they were angry, frustrated and it was only a madeup hand job that they'd experimented. If they weren't so young back then, then they may as well still remember how it felt like, but then again, they were almost counted as drunk, because they hadn't an iota regarding the overwhelming feeling.

Right now, it's unique. Like it's their first time all over again, but then they haven't started yet and only God knows what they'll do this time.

Taking the first three steps toward his other half, Harry wraps both his arms around Louis and hugs him, nestles his face at the crook of his neck and kisses him there. Louis shivers in his arms, their cocks jolting against each other as they keep one another so close like this. "Haz," Louis croaks.

Harry hushes Louis, mumbling cryptic words to him as though he's calming him down. Louis seems to pick up on it and with no more than a moment or so, he's already breathing evenly again, just letting Harry kiss, nip and bite on his neck. Harry grins against his skin, teeth almost grinding on the golden skin right there. Louis retaliates by shifting and holding Harry by the elbow and the other by the waist. When Harry retrieves his arms just a little from hugging Louis, he trails his fingertips down from Louis' shoulder, to his collarbones and then to his chest.

Louis squirms a little, his heart beat racing again--in anticipation, probably. Harry palms along Louis' tummy, smiling up at him as he does so, and until he's down to Louis' cock that he grasps it, carefully, all amateur and experimental all over again. Louis swallows hard, watching Harry dazedly, his blue eyes getting clouded with lust and want--one of those looks that Harry rarely sees on him. He can feel Harry's warm palm pumping his hardened cock and he decides that nothing feels better than receiving and giving hand jobs from the one you love.

As Harry quickens his pace, just pumping and all, Louis tips his head back, his eyes rolling all the way back to his head as he shuts them eyelids down in ecstasy. It feels so good to the point that Louis considers crying--and as if on cue, he lets out a whimper, a soft shuddering whimper, and it's actually another one of those that Harry rarely hears.

They've never really reached this level of intimacy between their way of releasing steam and it's making Harry feel fireworks exploding in his guts. It's a marvelous feeling and if he's any more honest with himself, Harry may as well admit that he wants more, more and more of this activity.

Just then while Louis thinks this is the only gesture Harry is willing to do to please his inner god, he suddenly finds himself snapping his eyes open in an utter shock because the next thing he feels isn't just large warm palm anymore but wet, slightly warm liquid that seems to be saliva and then the feeling of teeth and tongue groping his cock.

Louis looks down to see his cock halfway inside Harry's mouth, the young one's red and soft once virgin-from-sucking plump lips wrapped around his length, sucking and licking, with Harry even bobbing his head back and forth. Louis is stupefied--this is entirely new, alright. It's not that Louis nor Harry knew nothing about blow jobs, right, because they do, they've watched porn from the past when they were fooling around, but. It's just that, this is something they never did before, never felt before, never did to someone nor felt someone doing it to them, and so it really is all new to them both.

How Harry's managed to bring himself to do it now, or to even build the thought in his 16 year-old mind, Louis hasn't an iota. All he knows is that right now, Harry's driving his hormones mad. Not able to help himself anymore, from just leaning against the cold tiled wall behind him, Louis retaliates and reaches out to run his fingers through Harry's curls to keep him intact to what he is doing. He does so and Harry leans into it, making a sound that what seems to be a low growl--or more like a sweet moan, but is raspy and low. Louis licks his lips, his breath hitching against his throat, his hands following Harry's bobbing head's rhythm.

Harry giving him mind wrecking blows lasts for a while, and until Harry pulls away after receiving Louis' sticky semen, squirting messily in his mouth without warning, since Louis' cock's head hole is pointing toward his throat, that Louis silently thanks him for letting him come and takes him by the nape to bring him up and kiss him passionately; too hungry and craving for his mouth--Harry's mouth that tastes like  _LouisLouisLouis_.

Harry hums in appreciation as their lips mold against each other, Harry's knees wobbly from kneeling on some hard tiles, his muscles a bit worked up because of the fast pace of him bobbing his head back and forth just now, and wow, Harry really loves the feeling of Louis now just rubbing circles at his nape and caressing his cheekbones with the pads of his thumbs. When Louis breaks the kiss shortly, Harry opens his eyes slowly, his sights and mind a little bit dazed and hazed, his lips pink, flushed, parted and exhausted. "Lou," he manages with his voice raspy and low. Butterflies erupt in Louis' tummy hearing that sexy drawl.

Searching each other's eyes through the imaginary fog surrounding them at the moment, Louis whispers to Harry while cupping his face, "My turn, yeah?"

Harry doesn't say anything to that, his mind too plagued to even comprehend. Louis, instead of waiting for an affirmation, decides to just kneel down to level with Harry's cock and grasps it, pumping firstly just like what Harry did to him. Harry's cock, unlike his, is dry and was left untouched, and so Louis works on it, spitting some on his palm and grasping it again, and until Harry's leaking pre-come, that Louis' finally satisfied to the amount of lubricant they temporarily have. Harry moans softly from where he is standing awkwardly and Louis feels for him, since he's the first to look and stand like that. "Hold onto the shower curtain if you want, love," Louis tells Harry. Harry nods at that, obeying like the sub he is and grabbing on the shower curtain, clinging to it.

Satisfied, Louis then starts to suck Harry off, fast, fast, wet, wet, and eager; craving and claimant, loving the taste of Harry on his tongue, loving the saltiness, wetness and warmth. Until Harry's close to squealing as he's covering his mouth while looking down on Louis working him up, that Louis pulls away and frees his cock for a moment, although he still continues giving him pleasure by pumping once more though, fast, slick, in a not-so-experimental way anymore, but rather in an almost counted as expert at giving heads.

Harry squirms from his spot, tearing in the newly unlocked talent Louis is offering him, and then after some more swift pumps, Harry finally gives and he comes unintentionally, all unusual and raunchy, white liquid scattered all over Louis' chest, collarbones and cheeks. Louis grins at his accomplishment as Harry blushes furiously about it. It's his first time after all.

Biting on his lower lip without on purpose while marveling on his work, at something he did to his Harry, Louis eventually leans in and licks the white semen off Harry's cock, swallowing, letting the thick liquid run down his throat. Harry heaves a sigh and Louis knows it's his cue to come up and kiss his husband once again. So Louis does, pecks Harry's lips. As a thank-you for making him come for the first time, Harry embraces him, rubbing his back languidly.

After quite some time of nothing but doldrums filling their system, Harry decides against it once and for all and breaks it, "Can we shower now?"

Louis chuckles, nods, and before Harry can part away from hugging him, Louis' already switched the shower on, mild water pouring down on them.

"I forbid you talking too close to some girls on that party, yeah?" Louis reprimands, referring to the party Harry will go to tonight.

"Of course, Lou."

"Also, to boys. No talking too close--you're too charming. Not good. Big beautiful green eyes and all that."

Harry blushes, snorting. "Yes, Lou."

"Even to Niall or Liam, okay? We can't have friends falling for us, understood? That be bad news."

"Yes, yes, yes to all." Harry laughs, but Louis stays serious.

"Even to--"

Harry cuts Louis off with a sloppy kiss pressing against his mouth, taking him by the waist and the back of his neck. Louis moans, responding almost immediately to Harry's suddenness, slipping in his tongue between Harry's and sucking, licking. As they pull away, Harry looks at him straight in his eyes, smiles cheekily and says, "I'm yours, Lou, all yours. You can count on me just sitting around there, drinking Dr. Pepper not vodka, and not flirting at all, okay?"

"Okay," Louis breathes out.

"Good." Harry grins.


	18. part eighteen: when fancy turns into obsession 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t E i g h t e e n:** _When Fancy Turns Into Obsession_

💘💘💘

Harry is dressed in his baggy purple Jack Wills jacket tonight, some white shirt tucked underneath it and with only some jeans to partner it with; he looks oh so lucid and soft and cuddly right now that Louis oh so desperately wants to have his appointment postponed instead, so they can be alone in their room once again - but then again, he can't just determine that thought, so he lets go regardless of what he feels and squeezes Harry's hand for the last time as a good-bye. Perrie pops up behind Louis coming from the basement all the sudden after their last exchange and they both watch Harry ride a cab from their doorstep, mentally wishing him luck and all.

By the time Perrie closes the door and faces Louis, she notices that his phone is ringing from somewhere and Louis stresses to look for it. It's Josh calling, so he taps accept. "Devine."

"Tommo!" It's Stan instead of Josh. Louis hears a variety of sounds from their line and he can totally tell right there and then that they're all hanging out. Perhaps having a party or whatnot. "Cool, you finally answered."

Louis sighs. "What's up?"

"Boys' night out, Tommo. At mine and you're invited! You coming or?" Stan sounds so excited he's actually shouting at Louis. Louis winces as he distances from the receiver.

"Uh, no, sorry, Stan. I can't stay over at-"

"Oh, no, no, no! You don't have to stay for the night! Just going to grab some pints - Malik's making them in my balcony - and you can go home soon after us!"

Louis bites on his lip as he considers it. Harry isn't home, Louis' bored, Perrie's looking after the threshold. So, why not?

"Yeah, yeah, OK. 'Be there in ten," Louis eventually says.

"Great! See you!"

When Louis taps end call and shoves his phone back to his pocket, Perrie raises an eyebrow at him. "Going somewhere?" She asks blatantly.

"At Lucas'," Louis answers slyly, shrugging, "Boys' night out, they said."

Perrie nods, yawning as she walks her way to sit on the couch, taking Dusty and placing her on her lap to card her fur. "No Tessa involved?" She inspects.

Louis rolls his eyes at the mention of Tessa. "Boys' night out," he repeats, "she has vagina, Pez. Boys don't so it's a no."

Perrie chuckles. "Good. OK, you may go. Just make sure to go home before Harry does, yeah? And make sure to text him about your whereabouts."

"Yes, mother," Louis jokes, chuckling and instantly lighting up at the mention of his Harry.

Louis leaves Perrie by the living room, wears just some pair of simple stripes tee in their room and some beige chinos that are barely reaching his ankles, replacing his contact lenses with his black framed-glasses and running his hand through his hair for some disheveled hairstyle. Done, Louis kisses Perrie's cheek good-bye and he jogs down the road to go to the bus stop and end up at Stan's house.

Around half past 9, Louis was already handed his first pint of the night, already smiling and joking around with Zayn and Josh by the benches in the balcony too. Stan, Tom, Greg and the other lads are playing beer pong on the center of the area and Zayn is blabbering about his newfound love that is Perrie - which little does he know, Louis is best mates and flat mates with. Of course, Louis only nods his head whenever Zayn is overly excited about telling him that she's kissed him and that he kissed her back, not giving away any sort of reaction that will let him or everyone know that they're actually related since their diaper days. Stan and Greg on the other hand, are laughing over something that Ted did that he's forced to down all three pints of beer under the rules of their game.

It's a cool night, stars shining up above, lighting the world and Louis is laughing, eyes sparkling and just having fun.

And it's all right, because he's texted Harry about coming here. But then he wonders how Harry is doing at this time of the night.

**______________________________**

**_10:49 PM_**  - Harry doesn't want to drink, he isn't the one to drink vodka or anything that has a touch of any sort of alcohol and yet he is, feeling drunk and sloshed. Niall and Liam are both chatting Melly and Sophia by the living room of Nick's house.

And it's turned out that it's Nick's party, that it's Grimshaw who invited Niall and Liam, and that it's Nick Grimshaw's house that is the venue all along.

Harry wasn't able to back out the moment the cab arrived and Niall and Liam practically dragging him inside the house - or mansion, whatever.

Harry is in the kitchen, leaning against the island with Nick next to him, blabbering, 'been trying to chat him up for almost half an hour now, other party goers just passing them by. Harry doesn't know how to fetch drink on his own around this mansion and since Nick was the only available one (or so he thought, or so this is his house anyway and that he's familiar with it) Harry's asked for his help. Nick, acting so strangely and kindly to him, which is very much surprising for him, gladly said yes and fetched him some drink. Harry didn't know what's in it, but drank it nevertheless just because, and now here he is, feeling dizzy and numb just after three downs of that pink and yellow drink Nick handed him.

". . so yeah, Harry. Now you know why I'm acting like such a prick towards you. It's only because of that," Nick says softly, groggily, "What's your say on it then?"

Harry scrunches his nose, catching the smell of Nick's breath. It's a mixture of beer and barbecue and he doesn't like it. Aside from the fact that he doesn't even know what Nick is saying and asking right now, he wants to go home and sleep because he's drunk and it sucks.

"I - I don't, uhm . . what," Harry cuts himself short, his sights getting even more blurry and swirly by the second, "I think, I'm going home."

Nick looks like he's about to protest because he is scowling at Harry, looking rather affronted about something that Harry isn't aware if he's actually done or something. Without warning, Harry's already turning his back on Nick, walking pass dancing and sweating bodies through the crowded place and looking for his mates. Niall and Liam are still at the living room when Harry sees them. "Niall! Liam! I'm leaving!" Harry tries.

Niall is laughing at something that Liam is saying and Melly is practically wrapped around him, laughing too. Sophia on the other hand is drinking, almost looking drunk now and Liam isn't even paying attention to his surroundings that much. All in all, they're too engaged to whatever it is that they are chatting about that Harry is completely neglected. Having another go, Harry shouts through the loud booming of the music, calling out on his mates. No answer.

Annoyed, Harry bites the inside of his cheek and shoves his hand inside his pocket to fish out his phone and call Louis to inform him that he's going home, and also, to tell him he is sorry for getting drunk. As Harry dials Louis' number, he starts the bumpy and squishy way towards the front doors. When he's out the mansion and is able to finally breathe evenly again, the fresh November cool air embraces him fully, making him shiver a little despite his drunkenness. Tapping his foot on the ground and pressing the phone against his right ear, Harry waits for Louis to pick up his call as well as he waits for a cab to stop before him so he can go home even without telling Niall or Liam.

"Oi! Harry! Where do you think you're going?"

Harry whips around to see Nick emerging from the front door of his mansion and stomping his way towards him, holding a beer. Harry isn't sure what he's done now, but from the looks of it, Nick is upset about something that is rather big of a deal because of that scowling look he has.

"Please, Grimshaw, not now, I'm trying to call Lou- I mean, my mum," Harry lies, eyes widening a bit at the almost spill out. Harry wants to slap himself just so his dizziness will subside and leave him alone. He doesn't because he'll come off obvious to Nick that he's hiding something.

"Well, you can't just leave me without saying something after that confession I did back there!" Nick snaps, stopping in front of him.

Harry lowers his phone, which is still ringing Louis, as he looks up at Nick who is almost towering over him - he's taller and older than Harry after all - and is accusing and demanding. Harry gulps. What did Nick even confess to him? Harry didn't catch it, whatever it was. He was feeling dizzy at the time.

"What did you confess?" Harry asks, feeling confused and at the same time curious. Well, because this is Nick who's confessed something to him that they're talking about and he isn't supposed to be confessing things to Harry because they aren't and are never friends.

In fact, they're the opposite of 'friends' and it isn't even Harry's fault - it's Nick because he's nothing but a prick to Harry.

Nick runs a hand across his face, groaning, "Oh God, Harry, I can't believe you. So, you're saying that you didn't even listen to my little speech back there?"

"No, Nick, I - Wait, OK? I'm still waiting for my mum to answer," Harry says, sounding frustrated. Harry returns back to his phone and sees that it's gone home, so he dials Louis' number once more and this time he walks even further to the street in search for a cab to pass. Harry needs to go home, wants to go home.

"Wait, no, Harry, you don't understand!" Nick exclaims, going after Harry. Harry ignores him as he waits for the ring, standing right at the edge of the pavement. "Listen, Harry," Nick says, sounding desperate now, grabbing Harry's wrist to make him look to him. Harry releases a hiss, "I just - I just confessed to you that I love you, Harry!"

Harry's heart beat picks up, his eyes widening, Nick's words ringing through his head. "What," he chokes out, "What did you - what - how," he blabbers, now giving Nick some attention with his incredibly big green eyes and parted lips, all shocked and stupefied. Nick is in love with Harry? That's absurdity and just, so, so damn wrong, thinks Harry.

"Yes, Harry. I do love you! And that's why I'm always a prick to you at school. I don't know, but - it seems like, like, it's the only way to always have your attention, you know? I mean, look. Just like now, see! If I - if I, like, hadn't yelled and pulled at your wrist then I wouldn't have gotten your full attention! I, it's weird! You're always so clouded with I don't know what at school - and even now, God! Who are you even thinking about? - and you know what, it's kind of frustrating!" Nick pulls at his hair as he speaks, looking and sounding so frustrated, desperate. "Just - Harry, I love you, OK?"

Harry doesn't know how to respond to that - nor does he even wish to. He's just standing there, all baffled and cold. Sweating despite the negative degree of the November breeze, just listening to Louis' multiple 'hello's' from the other line. He's too overwhelmed by the sudden confession of his prick of a classmate, Nicholas Grimshaw to the point that he might even combust. Blinking, Harry wakes up to his misery and then he finds himself responding to Louis with a shaky drawl of, "H-hello?"

"Harry!" Louis quips, "Hey! You alright, love? I'm so sorry I hadn't answered right away. I got panicky, because . ." A pause. "Listen, Haz, you're actually in right timing of calling, babe. Uhm, because, I want you to go home, if that's OK? Nick, he-" The line was cut off by Nick taking the phone off of Harry's ear and grip.

"Hey!" Harry protests, glowering at Nick, "Give that back!" He screams.

Nick's in tears when Harry sees him, looking wasted and drunk and red, "No, Harry, no!" He screams back, "You aren't paying attention so I had to take it from you! See? See? This is what I mean! You aren't listening to me again! All the fucking time, Harry!"

Harry winces and thinks, fuck.

"I'm sorry, Nick, I'm-"

"Jesus! For once, Harry!" Nick growls, stepping forward, intimidating Harry like a madman.

Harry takes a step back. "N-Nick - I, yes, I said I'm so-"

Nick takes another step forward. "I'm hurting, can't you see!"

Another step back. "I didn't know! I never knew!"

Another step forward. "Because you must be in love with someone else! That's it, right!"

Two steps back . . and another. "I - what? I, no! No! Just, please, my phone-"

One pounce on Harry's chest, and another. Harder this time. Harry winces to the pain. "You're so unfair for breaking my heart every day, Harry!" Nick whines like the 3-year-old whiny kid he is.

As Harry and Nick play with a tight rope that is Harry's life without even noticing it - Nick drunkenly pouncing on Harry's chest, just hard enough to push him backwards, and backwards and away the pavement or the safe side - a loud car horn from their left side suddenly steals both their attention, some garnishing light originating faster than they can even turn away from it and before they know it, within a blink of an eye, Harry's flinging into the air and until he's debarked. He's hit and it's severe. Harry is severe.

Sticky red blood gushing from Harry's temple clouds his own visions, blurring his sights. Enigmatic. All around him is temporarily enigmatic. On the background, Harry can hear Nick screaming his name, afraid to touch his limpy body on the ground, and crying in pure agony, hysteria and trepidation. He can hear Nick's frantic sobs echoing . . everywhere. Just everywhere. And until he can almost hear some other voices filling the background as well and that some of their mates are also screaming, their frantic voices being one of those mists, is the only time Harry eventually settles for billowing. Harry's feeling numb, he's feeling wrecked, he's feeling . . and he's not feeling anything anymore and now he's closing his eyes because he can't anymore, can't anymore, can't anymore . .

And the last thing that Harry thinks about before the rest becomes black is the call with Louis - the unfinished call.

**______________________________**

"Mate," Zayn nudges Louis, "Are you all right? You're sweating." Louis lowers the phone before him and stares at it with a pair of gargantuan eyes, hands shaking and breath tethering. He looks up at Zayn and Zayn is taken aback, facial expression softening and turning into one of those that are uptight. "Lou, what's wrong, mate? Why are you crying?"

Louis' lower lip is trembling, words trapped at the tip of his tongue. He can't say it. He can't. He-

"Hey, what's wrong? What's going on in there?" Stan pipes up from somewhere, who are still giddy and gaga with the whole spreading of the news about Nick trying to get his feelings out for Harry at his party tonight, that in fact, wow the whole school knew all about this entire time - as it turns out, Louis and Harry were the only ones that are altogether clueless - and all the sudden, the whole room is now looking at Louis from his spot on the benches.

Silence.

"Lou?" Zayn whispers, putting an arm around Louis to keep him together despite whatever it is that he's currently splintering about.

Just then, "I - I need to go to the - the hospital," is all Louis says and it's even quivery when it's left his mouth. Half of the room gasps.

 


	19. part nineteen: he shouldn't go to bed without his cup of tea 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**P a r t  N i n e t e e n:** _He Shouldn't Go To Bed Without His Cup Of Tea_

💘💘💘

**Year 2005 -**

Back in the days when Harry and Louis are only 11 and 13, Louis was already out to the public, to their playmates and friends, to their mothers, Jay, Anne, to their relatives and even to their sisters, Gemma, Fizzy, the twins and Lottie, that he was in fact, a boy who also likes boys.

Harry knew this; he was the first to know anyway because Louis confessed to him about his sexuality that one night when they were side by side sprawled on a twin-sized bed having a sleepover at Harry's.

Louis, even when he was shaking out of fear because to any one, it would be such a big deal (because he was just some kid whom nevertheless knew already what he wanted) still became honest and pure about it with Harry, still bravely told him about it and that he also added that girls didn't give him boner even when he'd tried kissing one. A massive deal indeed.

Well to Harry, he was okay with it, ecstatic even after knowing it, although he didn't exactly know as to why. In an actual fact, Harry immediately lightened up having the first to know about it - he felt somehow special being the first one to know because he is Harry, and everyone knows how Harry loves being told secrets and most especially if it was from Louis, because Louis is his' somehow, like his childhood best mate, his only mate at the time - and well, Louis was glad all the same that it was Harry he first confessed it with, despite the fact that he could have told Perrie about it first instead of Harry (because Harry is a boy and he might judge). Thing was though, he trusted Harry with all his heart, even right from the start that they weren't yet that close.

So Harry was told. And then there was Perrie as the second one to know - and then his mum, Jay, and then Jay told Anne, and until Lottie had caught Louis wanking over some boy to boy magazine at some point in his room, and she gossiped it to Fizzy and then Louis just became honest with the twins, so on and so forth. Everybody cares, really, but at the same time, nobody cared whether it was boys that Louis fancied. It was cool - they still think Louis was brilliant (gay or not), and that was how much they loved Louis.

In exchange, without even noticing it (well, because they were too young to notice), Louis and Harry slowly fell deeper and deeper for each other every day, every single day. They would eat at the same time, all the time.

They would have sleepovers constantly as well, even if it wasn't that much necessary. They would visit each other at each their houses, even at the dawn of the night despite their minority - just so they could catch a glimpse of one another's smile. In totality, they had attracted one another just by the other knowing that the other one likes the ones that he was, whom was a boy.

It was crazy, but they loved every bit of it, and until Harry courted Louis for real that they became secret boyfriends, finally - with none of their families yet knowing. As the months passed, summer's ended and their routines' changed. Louis and Harry - as childhood buddies (or so people thought of them as, but really, they actually snogged a lot and even have an anniversary of their own) - started to enroll at some school in the small town of Holmes Chapel and they attended class every day - again, as 'friends' - eat at the canteen together without other people joining their table of four, and went home together without as well other people tagging along (Perrie wasn't their school mate at the time anymore).

Weeks passed, people eventually speculated, apparently they were too close for being just friends, they reasoned, and also 'to be quite honest', and so the news or rumors as they called it (which was not, because it was true after all) that Louis was gay had flowed like water from a broken dam that leaked all over the forest that was their classmates, like a waterfall which never stopped, and like a cascade that didn't halt, and it made all their peers laugh at him - laugh at Louis. They teased him about it. All day long, they teased him about it - about his sexuality, about how he liked boys and that he's gay and that he's such a diva or much worse, a princess.

They also teased Harry about it of course, but mostly it was directed to Louis because it was obvious with everything he did - he was flamboyant after all and he was usually soft - and so it made Louis admit it regardless all the insults thrown his way. Then again, it made Louis show them too that he wasn't just all about liking boys but was also good at many things, like for example, football. God, Louis had always been legend at football that it made their other mate forgotten that he was gay especially during matches.

One time, Louis and Harry were on their way home. Harry was carrying Louis' rucksack for him and Louis was carrying Harry's. Couple-y indeed. When they turned to some alley, kids flaunted their way and tackled Louis on the ground; insulting him about his sexuality and how he cheated on a football match they once played. Louis, of course just laughed them off, telling them to get over their rubbish, but the kids were cruel and didn't listen, of course they wouldn't. Why would they to someone who was gay and shouldn't be obeyed? They wanted to start a fight, was the thing, and so one of the kids had tried to kick Louis in the groin.

Unlucky these kids were, Harry was there to protect his boyfriend. Of course he would. So without warning and within a blink of an eye, Harry punched the kid in the gut, making him kneel on the concrete ground while he clutched at his aching stomach.

Louis was so stunned that he didn't even dare to look at anyone, not even Harry (although he was grateful, very much actually. He loves Harry so fucking much). With the kid screaming in pain and the other kids glaring at them and at what Harry did, Harry took Louis' wrist and they both ran for their lives.

Until they were home and until the day had come that their teachers knew about the fight that Harry and Louis didn't start, that their parents were called because they were getting expelled. And so they were. Life was unfair.

They enrolled to a new school then and they started being in a closeted relationship from then on. On the brighter side, Louis would never ever forget how heroic Harry had been for him - even from now. He was so thankful and he just fell even more in love. Harry was his knight in shining armor.

Even at this moment, now that they're 16 and 18, Louis still can't forget it - will never forget it - and as he's hearing Stan still blabbering about how Nick must be taking 2nd bases with Harry now after his confession, Louis finds himself gritting his teeth in utter fume, standing on his feet to defend Harry once and for all. It doesn't matter that Louis is crying right now, it doesn't matter if Stan is one of his good friends either; all Louis needs to do is to -

And then he punches Stan square in the jaw.  _Finally_.

"What the- Lou! What the  _fuck_  was that for?" Stan growls at Louis, holding his jaw where Louis' punched him, balancing himself by the railings of his own balcony in his own house, in front of his and Louis' friends.

Louis stands up to him, gripping his hand, his knuckles tinged with pink and a bit of Stan's blood. "That's for making fun of Harry!  _God_ , Stan, enough with that!  _Enough!_ " Louis screams at him, his blue eyes a shocking blue from being teary and glassy and furious.

Zayn and the others are looking at them all shocked and taken aback, some worried and some concerned. Thing is, Louis and Stan are like, one of the most popular footie players at their school and everybody - like literally everybody - knows how they are very close, like apparently close (but really, Louis is closer with Zayn and Josh) and now they are fighting and even punching each other in the jaw. The most part of it is, the fact that Louis Tomlinson just stood up for Harry Styles - someone he isn't friends with at school, someone their peers know that he also insults at times when it's convenient, or a.k.a. whenever their mates are just asking him to tease Harry or something for their own selfish ways of having a laugh (Louis fucking hates it - or hated it, past tense).

"Mate, what's up with you? What's wrong?" Zayn pipes up all the sudden, standing from behind Louis to hold him down. "Why did you punch Stan and - and what's with the going to the hospital?" He fires him questions. "What's happened, Lou?"

Louis swallows hard, sniffing, and the room falls silent, every one's gaze fixed only to him. "Just - I need to go to the hospital. The call, I . . ," he trails off, glancing at Zayn, "I was talking to Harry and he . ."

"You were talking to that virgin, then? So, you're friends-" Stan starts to speak again in this high yet quivering voice, but Louis cuts him off and so does Zayn.

"- _Shut up!_ "

Stan shuts up and he rolls his shoulders up, looking pissed and punched. Ted and Greg stand next to him just in case he lets any punch escape and direct towards Louis. No one wants anyone fighting anymore, apparently. It was supposed to be a fun night after all.

Zayn holds Louis' shoulder and he squeezes it for either comfort or encouragement, so he can continue his speech about the call with Harry.

Louis is still tearing up and this time he is almost at the verge of breaking because he doesn't know what to do anymore. Should he come out right there and then and tell them that he and Harry are actually married and that he cares for him a lot that's why he just lashed out on Stan like that? Louis isn't about to choose the latter now, of course, he opts to defend Harry even if it takes their promise being broken.

"So," Zayn starts, his voice calm and concerned, not insulting nor cocky at all, "Harry called you then, right, what did he say? What happened? Is it about Nick?"

Louis nods, wiping off some of his tears. "Yeah, he called me, and . . it's not about Nick - half of it, probably, but - just. Zayn, dude, I need to get to the hospital right now. I think . . I think Harry got hit b-by a car." At this point, Louis is already sobbing, his visions blurring, and his heart pounding crazily against his chest. He needs to get to wherever they took Harry and he needs to be there now.

"OK," Zayn says, looking rather determined and bewildered, also shocked about the news. "Let's go then. To my car, right now, I'll take you."

"I'm coming with you, lots!" Josh pipes up, tapping Zayn on the back. Zayn nods in agreement.

So Louis, Zayn and Josh run off the house and meet with Zayn's car, parked amongst all the other cars their mates own, buckling themselves when they got in. Zayn instructs Louis to contact Nick or whoever's involved in the accident and Louis obeys, regaining his composure for the meantime. While Louis contacts someone, Zayn obliges to drive then and they are off to the nearest hospital around Nick's hometown village, the only option they have for the time being.

Louis rings Harry's phone again, hoping Nick will answer it for him. Louis doesn't care anymore if Nick or whoever will know about him and Harry's relationship - all he wants now is to save Harry - to see Harry - to know he's all right and that he's going to live. Fuck, Louis thinks, even just thinking about the fact that Harry is in the verge of not living right at this moment kills Louis mentally inside. Louis wonders what he'll do if Harry ever leaves him, if ever he dies. The idea's eating him. Louis can't.

At the umpteenth ring of Harry's mobile, finally someone's answered. Louis is so fucking relieved about it. "Hello," Louis breathes into the phone, "anyone? Who's this?"

Louis can hear multiple sounds echoing from the other line, lots crying and then the sound of some siren that's probably coming from some ambulance. Louis' heart sinks and he wants to die.

"Hello! Louis Tomlinson?" Someone says frantically from the other line. Louis is sure it's Niall.

"N-Niall?" He asks, his voice trembling, flailing.

"Yes! Fuck! S-something's happened - I, why did you - why do you have Harry's number? What is this? I - I -"

"Niall!" Louis snaps at him, gritting his teeth in irritation, adrenaline rushing through his veins. He's aching to touch Harry, hug Harry, and take care of Harry. "Fuck! Just - please! Stop asking questions, mate! Just tell me what's happened to him! Where will they take him?"

Louis can hear Niall crying and swallowing but he doesn't give a fuck about that right now. Louis needs him to fucking talk. "They - He - He was hit and . . and they are taking them to HPA. Do you know where that is? I just saw it on the - the back of the ambulance -," and Niall starts to swear. A lot. He can't believe Harry is being taken to some goddamn hospital with just a blink of an eye while he was partying and such, "- Listen, we're leaving and to go there. Are you - you coming along? If so, I'll be expecting you-"

Louis doesn't let Niall finish whatever it is he is saying and ends the call. He tells Zayn that their destination will be Healing Partners Acupuncture Clinic on Thorne Road South Yorkshire, and Zayn nods his okay. While Louis silently prays that nothing severe has happened to his husband, Josh on the other hand can't sit still to Zayn's too much fast driving.

They all wish that nothing like this happens ever again, especially Louis.

Louis doesn't waste any more time. As soon as Zayn's parked his car, he practically hops off of it, taking Zayn and Josh in full and utter surprise, because hell, they've never seen Louis act like this before - especially if it's about Harry, someone he isn't mates with - and right now, he's being strange - at least, for them, because if it was Perrie who is with him right now, she'd expect him to combust or something. It's still a miracle that he isn't yet losing himself.

As Louis comes barging in inside the hospital lobby, he's panting, heart beat thumping so hard against his chest, as if it's about to explode and shatter on the ground. Louis doesn't care though - he can die right here and then, but he will still worry for Harry even as a ghost. Whipping his head from left to right, he looks for someone, just anyone that can help him know which room they took Harry.

Zayn and Josh bump with Louis from behind him as they also got in and Louis topples over a bit. The two winces at the gesture, afraid that Louis might snap at them for being clumsy, but to their second surprise, he doesn't. He's out of tears now, they see, yet he's still breathing heavily and looking frantic. Josh shivers on his spot, wondering what could Harry be - what could Harry mean - to Louis' life and why is he acting differently right now just because of him.

" _Fuck_ ," Louis hisses, still looking around. There are many people going and running about at the lobby as of now and Louis' head is spinning, throbbing even, his pulse's rate speeding up. Thing is, never have Louis ever gone to some hospital before with Harry as someone he was to visit. He can't believe that Harry'd be lying on some hospital bed right now, may be covered in some gauze all over his body, or maybe . . just maybe Louis won't be able to recognize his face anymore because of the impact of the car crash. Louis hitches at the thought. He just can't . . he doesn't think he can take it.

Louis takes a deep breath and runs toward the receptionist's desk with Zayn and Josh following behind. "Miss!" Louis breathes out, "Where did they take Harry?"

The woman behind the desk looks at Louis, Zayn and Josh, blinking, and then she returns her gaze on a frantic Louis. "Surname please?" She asks calmly, her fingertips ready to type on her keyboard.

"Styles," Louis squeaks.

The woman types on her keyboard then, her eyebrows furrowing in concentration. While the three of them waits for her to tell them where Harry could be, their other mates back from the boys' night out are all suddenly huddling around them from behind - Stan, Ted, and Greg - anticipating as well for the turn outs of whatever event is going on all the while. Louis huffs a breath as he acknowledges them especially the squeezing hand Stan is giving him on his shoulder.

"OK, here I see it now," the woman finally says.

"What room number?" Louis anxiously says, leaning forwards.

She turns to them and raises an eyebrow. "You can't all come inside the room, the doctor forbids it. I want to-"

"All right! I get it, miss! I'll be the only one to come inside then!" Louis interrupts her, almost snapping and he isn't even sorry about it. He just really needs to fucking see Harry, hold him and that's all.

"Your relations to the patient please," the woman says, ready to type on her keyboard again.

Louis swallows hard, glancing at the lads behind him and beside him and all the sudden; he's a bit loss for words. This must be it, Louis thinks dryly. He should've seen it coming.

"Sir, your relations to the patient please," the woman repeats, looking at Louis intensely . . or so Louis feels on his own. No one's looking at him intensely; no one's even judging him right at this moment. Zayn and Josh look to each other from behind Louis and give each other their confused facial expressions. The situation is getting a bit strange for them, especially the lads at the back, Stan, Ted and Greg.

"Uhm, Harry's our friend," Stan tries, raising a hand for the woman to see it's him who spoke. Louis' heart picks up at the sound of that. He knows that Stan is only lying so they can pass the reception, but then again he still thinks it'd be awesome if his mates are also mates with Harry. Life can be unfair most times it sucks. Louis shuts his eyes tight and takes a deep breath, stuffing a hand on one of his pockets and clutching his marriage ring in there, circling it on his ring finger, thinking about Harry.

The woman behind the desk shakes her head, "No brother nor sister? Perhaps cousin or uncle?" Zayn and the others shake their heads no. The woman sighs. "Well, I'm sorry gentlemen but the doctor said that only family member can-"

"I-I'm the husband," Louis squeaks, his voice almost coming off as whisper.

The woman stops. "I'm sorry?"

Louis gulps, taking his ring out and wearing it. "I'm the husband," he repeats and it comes out louder this time. Zayn finds himself holding Louis' arm with that, squeezing just there for support - although his eyes are as big as a pinball right now because of the shocking information - and so does Josh on his other arm. Louis leans into it, but then he's still standing straightly, feeling suddenly determined to have an access inside Harry's room. Well, he should be let in;  _he's the fucking husband for fuck's sakes!_

"What?" The woman smiles, shaking her head. "Please lads. This is a hospital and this is a serious matter where are tackling here. Stop fooling around, if you may."

"But it's true, lady. I'm Harry's husband. My name is Louis Tomlinson-Styles," Louis says through gritted teeth. Stepping a bit forward, he pounces on the desk and demands, "Can you just - just tell us where his room is! Please! I need my husband! He could be dying in there right now and I can't let that happen! Miss,  _please_!"

The woman leans back on her chair and she starts typing on her keyboard again, nodding vigorously. She must have seen the sincerity and concern on Louis' way of yelling at her and it's enough to convince her that there really is a possibility that young boys marry. With no more than a moment or so, the woman finally tells them where Harry is and Louis doesn't waste another precious time. He sprints away and takes the stairs instead of the lifts despite the room being on the 7th floor with only Zayn climbing up behind him. The rest takes the lifts.

At 7th floor, Louis nudges pass people as he runs and look for room 714 with Zayn hot on his shoes only 5 inches far behind him. By the benches against the wall beside the room itself, Louis can see Niall, Liam, Nick, Sophia, Melissa and many other people lurking around, pacing and sitting, waiting. Louis' heart sinks, witnessing how they all look wasted, some eyes fresh from sobbing, hair a mess and Nick . . Nick has fucking blood on his hands. Those are Harry's, Louis' damn sure. Suddenly he feels ferocious.

"Nick!" He growls, going towards Nick, "You twat! What have you done with Harry!" He screams. With one swift movement, Nick's already on the ground before Louis and the others who are immediate to hold Louis back. Nick's face turns red, jaw tightening, body limp on the floor and looking rather defeated. Louis sees he's just cried and maybe he's still crying a bit. Louis' stomach just churns in fury some more.

"Fuck," Nick lets out weakly, holding his aching jaw.

Niall and Liam are taken aback with this, shocked at Louis' strange acts. Why is he so mad about this whole thing? It's not that Louis isn't allowed to, for them, but then again, Liam and Niall think that Louis' the most furious and concerned amongst the rest of them and it's entirely news for them. They've never seen Harry and Louis hang out, or talk, or even look at each other at school, so they puzzle, what the fuck is going on then?

Niall steps up, "Tommo, it was an accident. Grimshaw has nothing to do with it."

"Yes, he has!" Louis snaps, turning sharply towards Niall. He also blames Niall for the accident, is the thing, because if it wasn't for him and his stupid pints invitation, Harry wouldn't be here, they all wouldn't be here. "It's  _your_  fault too, you know, Horan?" Louis growls at him.

Niall takes a step back, furrowing his brows. "Why is it  _my_  fault, huh?" He asks incredulously, his voice sounding a little too guilty and defensive.

"Because if you didn't invite Harry at Nick's party then he wouldn't have committed an accident!"

Niall's gaping. "And why do you even care with Harry so much, huh, Louis Tomlinson? Out of the sudden! You don't have no rights to-"

"I'm Harry's husband, of course I'd care! I care a lot!" Louis recklessly abandons, huffing out heavy breaths. Soph, Melly, Liam and the others gasp, eyes wide and altogether looking at Louis. They can't believe what they just heard.

Nick on the ground looks as though he's about to faint.

Niall chokes on his spit. "What?"

Louis sighs, looking down. He's tired. Not answering any one, Louis proceeds inside Harry's room. Louis' heart is on his mouth the moment he inhales the smell of the room - the hospital scent, the medicine stale scent it has - and he hiccups without warning. The doctor and nurses that are huddled around Harry's bed startle and they whip around to see Louis. "Who are you?" The doctor asks.

Louis clutches his chest as he says, "Husband. I'm . . Harry's husband."

The doctor doesn't question him anymore, seeing the tears on his eyes and the quivering of his red swollen lips. They give room for Louis to come forward then and Louis does, holding onto his marriage ring and already praying Harry isn't that severe.

Just then, Louis sees him. There is Harry - pale and limp body lying on a white and neat hospital bed - breathing steadily, eyelids down, thick layer of gauze covering his entire head, just a bit of his ringlets sticking out the thing; his cheeks and the bags under his eyes are damaged and wounded, reddened, and some tube that are connected to some machine are sticking in and out of his almost color gray skin, Louis notices, and he knows that those are the only things that are keeping Harry alive as of the moment.

The only things that are keeping him alive, the words ring through Louis' head in circles, eating him, killing him slowly and painfully.

Harry looks lifeless, is fully unconscious and Louis . . He just wants to die.

The night doesn't end without Perrie rushing in to the hospital as well, not caring if she's just in her bathrobe, nightgown, eye mask, bunny slippers and hair in a complete mess. She and Louis hug once she arrives and she's already in tears just having to smell the scent of the hospital room itself too, just like Louis earlier. At 2 in the morning, half of their school mates have already dispersed and they are left with Stan, Josh, Nick, Zayn, Niall and Liam. Zayn goes to hug Perrie, who is sobbing uncontrollably, when the six of them come inside. He rubs her back to sooth her and whispers calming words in her ear. Perrie retaliates and sobs some more.

Louis cries on his own, not caring if the others are here and he just sits on the chair beside Harry's bed. Niall comes walking towards Louis after minutes and he hugs him, without warning, taking Louis by surprise. "I'm s-sorry," Niall squeaks in his hair, "I'm really sorry . ."

Louis finally softens and he holds Niall's forearm, forgiving. "It was an accident," Louis croaks, "Let's just hope he heals fast. I miss him."

Niall nods, letting Louis go. Looking up at him, Louis says honestly, "I'm Harry's husband, Niall. I wasn't lying when I yelled that to you. We've been married for 7 months now." Louis flashes Niall his marriage ring and Niall's eyes widen. Perrie can hear them talking from afar and so she leaves Zayn firstly to come to them and help Louis explain certain things.

When she reaches them, she can't help but look at Harry first before she speaks. "I think we should tell them all about it now, Lou."

Louis nods, looking at Harry again as though he's asking for his permission. Harry stays the same, no emotion, no conscious, no nothing. Louis' heart sinks some more. Sighing, Perrie beckons for them all to gather around Louis so they can talk about what really is going on with Louis' sudden change of behavior and why is he the most affected amongst all of them. Zayn, Nick, Stan, Liam and Josh come forward and stand side by side, waiting, Nick fidgeting.

Perrie finally starts telling them about the tad truth behind everything then - from her, Louis and Harry's childhood days, to their Holmes Chapel memories and up to the boys' marriage and how Louis thought about marrying Harry. It's a steady pulse story telling for Perrie because she's proud of their marriage and the rest are all just huddled and listening furiously, not letting a word pass. Nick can't keep still, always fidgeting and biting his nails. It seems that he doesn't enjoy listening to Perrie's story. Perrie glares at him with that and she pounces on his gut, making him wince and move back a little to clutch at his stomach and heal himself first or whatever.

She hates him for doing this to Harry and she's willing to break his leg or something - that pounce is nothing against all the horrid things she wishes to give him if ever.

By the time Perrie finishes with her story, the lads give Louis sympathies and hugs, apologies for what happened to Harry and all . . Stan on the other hand, cries, hugging Louis ever so tightly, apologizing to him over and over again. They are all children about the situation, and Perrie's thankful that somehow they understand their relationship.

She just hopes Harry wouldn't mind if he ever wakes up then and know about the truth getting revealed.

The next morning, Louis was already done talking to the doctor about Harry's condition. The doctor tells him that only Harry can predict the future - that only Harry can save himself from all this.

If he ever wakes, that is. Louis has never felt so down all his life.

Niall, Liam, Stan, Josh and Nick go home to their homes the moment the sun shines and they rein Louis all their blessings and once again, apologies. Louis dismisses them and tells them he should be fine as long as he's looking after Harry. They nod, understanding. Nick is still tearing a little as he leaves the room. Louis sighs.

On a different matter, Zayn stays behind because of Perrie, sprawling excuses that he can't just leave seeing Perrie suffering like this. Perrie waves him off and tells him, 'of course you can stay, you goof'. They're boyfriends and girlfriends after all and well, she doesn't see anything wrong about him staying if she's being perfectly honest. Besides, Louis is grateful for his help - he thinks that Zayn will totally gain Harry's approval of him soon enough.

 _Just you wait Zayn_ , Louis thinks,  _when he finally wakes up._

Louis sleeps to the thought then, holding Harry's hand and dreaming about their marriage all over again.

In the early afternoon, Louis calls his mum and he tells her all about what's happened. Jay takes it all in a calm way and she tells Louis that she will come by today - with Anne. Louis' heart drops to his stomach at that, realizing that Anne deserves to know too. The fact that he almost forget about her, makes him want to vomit.

Ending the call, Louis looks to Perrie and Zayn by the chairs at the corner of the room and he can tell that something's wrong. Perrie stands up and she leaves the room, calling after her and telling Louis she'll just use the loo. Louis heaves sigh of relief.

As time passes by and Louis' almost sang half of  _The Fray's_  album to Harry's sleeping figure, Jay and Anne eventually come barging in inside the room. Anne is in tears and Jay is frowning, holding Anne's wobbling limbs. They both just can't believe what terrible thing has happened to their little angel Harry, is the thing. It's their oh-so innocent and young and lovely Harry after all. Only the demons would let such tragedy happen to their Harry Edward and they all know that. He's a kindhearted lad.

So, no one is blaming anyone with that. Anne isn't angry to Louis, not to Perrie, not to the man who is now in jail for hitting an innocent 16-year-old with his drunken driving, no one. Anne isn't that kind of person.

The mourning lasts for a while and until Anne's spoken to the doctor about Harry's condition and knew that he isn't dying, the critical situation eases down. Louis stays cuddled with Jay and Anne and they all sleep until the evening comes and they eat for dinner. Perrie and Zayn go home for a while, to fetch Louis some clothes and also, to feed Dusty. Zayn drives them back to the flat and Louis thanks him for that.

The next day, Eleanor comes inside the hospital room, looking all troubled and concerned, aiming to see how Harry is doing.

Louis hugs her and she takes the sit next to him, introducing herself to Harry's mum and Louis' mum. Jay and Anne smile at her, understanding that she knows about Louis and Harry's marriage almost immediately. The mothers think she's a lovely lass, which is true.

It's a Tuesday and Jay's already called the school saying Louis and Harry are not able to come in class. Mr. Brenneisen, their adviser, permits them and sends his love and prayers to them. The football team comes barging in by the time the clock strikes 3 in the afternoon and they group hug Louis, saying sorry for what happened to his husband and for all that they've said to Harry - all their prick attitudes towards him and all the insults.

Louis forgives them and he hopes Harry would too.  _Just they wait_ , Louis thinks again,  _just when Harry finally awakes._

Minutes later after the whole team has left some flower bouquets and balloons - courtesy of Tessa and her cheering team as well - in the room for Harry and leave the area, including Eleanor (says her parents need her for a company meeting) as if on cue Perrie and Zayn come walking in, already looking fresh and full. Louis smiles at the sight of them, standing from Jay and Anne's sides. Perrie gives Louis his toiletries and clothes when they meet halfway and Louis takes them gratefully. Louis goes out the room then so he can shower. It's already been 2 days and 2 nights after all.

While in the shower, Louis feels as though Harry is wrapping his arms around him as the steaming water pour all over the two of them, just like the last time when they showered together . .

"I love you so much, sweetheart," Louis whispers to no one, his eyes closed, "Don't give up and keep fighting. Please, I need you."

On the third day, Louis catches Perrie puking on the loos. He questions it, concerned written all over his creasing eyebrows. Perrie laughs after she's puked and she rinses her mouth off of the stale feeling and she waves Louis off. "Nothing," she tells him, "this is nothing, babe. Must be the hospital food and smell."

Louis only nods. "Right."

Back in Harry's hospital room, Anne and Jay are freaking out. Louis immediately jumps and shoves everyone away, not caring if it's Anne and Jay, his mother and mother-in-law whom he has pushed. Just, he needs to get on Harry's side of the bed.

"What happened?" Perrie asks frantically.

"Harry! He - He  _moved_!" Anne exclaims anxiously. Louis' eyes widen, his heart beat picking up.

He looks down on Harry and leans in close to his ear. "Come on, love. Wake up," he mumbles, "please, babe. Just wake up for me. Please. Fight."

The five of them - including Zayn - huddle around Harry and wait for any respond. They watch as Harry's chest rise and fall from breathing and within some moments, they sigh. Nothing.

Just when Anne, Jay and Zayn are about to sit back down to their seats again, Perrie and Louis stay behind. Louis squeezes Harry's hand and he shuts his eyes tight, still chanting 'please please please', 'wake up baby wake up baby' and 'fight for me, for us, please'. Perrie leans her head against Louis' shoulders at that, giving him her support and prayers.

Hours pass and Louis' already seated on the chair beside Harry's bed again, still holding his semi-warm hand and just sleeping with his head lying on the edge.

Dreaming of something that's apparently nibbling on his ear and making it wet, Louis temporarily wakes up from his restless slumber because it seems real - the dream seems real. And it struck him; his earlobe really is wet. Louis yawns and opens his eyes to look around him, to check on Harry, Jay, Anne, Perrie or whoever.

But then a pair of bright and beautiful green eyes meet Louis, those pair that seems to be admiring him, some set of white and perfect pearls also flashing for him. Right on this moment, Louis begs God that he isn't dreaming because fuck. He's awake.

"H-Harry?" Louis squeaks with his voice still a little groggy and ragged from being tired and restless.

"Hi," Harry says, his voice small and fragile.

Louis' eyes widen, and then they narrow, and then they tear. "Oh, baby," Louis lets out, finally retaliating to the fact that Harry's awake. Louis' voice is breaking at each word and his breath is hitching against his throat, "Oh, baby," he repeats, lunging towards Harry, taking him by the back of his neck gently, hugging him tightly, afraid to let go and at the same time afraid he might hurt Harry's recovering body. "Oh, honey, you're finally awake. You scared me back there," Louis says affectionately, softly, and happily.

Harry's smiling against Louis' neck, his lips dry to Louis' skin. They don't care though. "How long have I been asleep then?" Harry asks eventually, not moving any limb of his weak body.

Louis' crying now, letting out tears of joy, hiccuping even between breaths. "Three days and three nights, babe. Thank God you're already awake. You fought good, babe . . You fought just well." Louis feels Harry nodding against his shoulder.

As they pull apart, Louis lies Harry down above his pillow again and he whips around to wake the others up.

"Mum! Perrie! Anne!"

Perrie, from where she and the others are dozing off, pries her eyes open, yawning and stretching (Zayn isn't budging beside her even if she's nudged him with her heavy arm on his cheek, wow) and Anne does the same. They both look at Louis with sleepy questioning looks. Louis grins at them and then he points giddily to Harry. The two snaps their head to look towards a grinning Harry.

"Oh my bloody -!" Anne shouts, stumbling to stand on her jelly legs, her guts still wobbly because of sleep.

Harry laughs. "Mum! Language!" He scolds her playfully.

Anne claps her mouth and smiles with the brims of her eyes framed with tears. "Bloody hell- oh- Jesus, sorry, baby." Louis and Perrie laugh too this time, finding Anne ridiculous with her sudden swearing despite the fact that she never swears especially in front of her son. Out of excitement, Perrie once and for all runs her way to Harry's bed and leans down to hug him carefully, her Amazona side pushed aside for now. Harry chuckles weakly as they hug and Perrie peppers him with her feather-light kisses. Realizing she's just standing frozen to her spot for a while because of feeling overwhelmed that finally, her son has awaken, Anne finally does the same and engulfs Harry in for a warm motherly hug. Now the three of them are hugging with Louis only watching with a smile spreading wide against his lips. In this picturesque moment, Louis bites on his lower lip, lets a tear fall from his right eye and thanks God from up above.

While the three of them starts to chat and ask questions to each other whatsoever, very much happy about the whole scenario, Louis takes this time to wake Jay and Zayn up so they can as well welcome Harry back to consciousness.

It doesn't take much long before Jay and Zayn are all greeting Harry and saying their 'thank God' to the gods in heaven. Minutely so, before they all know it, the doctor and nurses are already joining them inside the room full of balloons and flowers, people in tears of joy and a child out of the darkness. Louis smiles at the doctor and tells everyone to move aside first so the doctor can check Harry's vitals and heart beat - whether his husband is free to go now or within a day or two, or if they should take some painkillers home with them to make Harry drink them.

After all the overwhelming feeling and until all the anxious hearts have subsided, that Louis and Harry finally have their alone time. The room falls silent the moment Jay and Anne say their good-byes, telling them that they are going back to their flat first to eat, shower and sleep and that Zayn will all drive them with his car, which they are all impressed of. Perrie's kissed them both goodnight and goodbye because she knows they will stay here for the whole night. Harry and Louis dismiss her so she can ride with their mothers and her boyfriend - that now, Harry approves of.

Settling on the chair beside Harry's bed, Louis sighs contently and takes Harry's hand with him, squeezing gently. "I missed you so much, baby," Louis murmurs, kissing the back of Harry's hand.

Harry smiles at him, sitting up slowly. "Me too. Feels like forever when I was sleeping . . ," Harry tells him softly. Louis stares at Harry and he finds himself smiling too. "You know Lou, when I was sleeping, I was dreaming of something - cryptic, but distinguishable."

Louis leans close and he hums softly, just taking in the fortunate fact that Harry truly is awake now. It all still seems surreal for him, almost like make-believe. "Yeah?" Louis whispers, his voice sounding like one of those that are secretive, as though he and Harry are the only ones who should know about this so-called secret, "What about it, babe? Can you please tell me about what you were dreaming about?"

"Well," Harry sighs, smiling happily, "I was dreaming of looking up at the sky while lying across some Kentucky blue grass - in my dream, the sky is a shade of baby pink and sunny yellow, the clouds are moving quite fast and the sun rays are everywhere, streaking through the Nimbus clouds. It was a lovely dream, Lou. There were even birds and they were all flying freely, happily, as though they just came out some birdcage. I felt for them right on that moment actually, because I think I'm just like them. A bird that wants to get out of some birdcage." He pauses to his story telling to look at Louis with a watery smile. With that, Louis reaches out and thumbs across Harry's cheek to swipe his tears away. "So yeah, I don't know, maybe it's true that I'm just like a bird. You and I, Lou," he says, sniffling in, and then he continues, "Then in the middle of my dream, I suddenly turned my face and tore my gaze off of the beautiful sky just so I can acknowledge my surroundings. You know what made me even happier right there and then when I did just that?"

Louis heaves a sigh and smiles sadly at Harry, "What, babe?"

"I realised that you were there with me. I realised that I wasn't alone all along and throughout my dream and that you were just there after all, Lou. That you were there, just lying next to me. You're always right next to me. And the best part of it, is that in reality, it's all true. It isn't just in my dream, but also in real life. You're always there for me."

Louis smiles and he echoes, "You're always there for me."

Harry giggles and then he starts to blabber, "I suppose I'm stuck with you forever now, huh? You, who doesn't know how to cook, you, who argues to not clean up, you, who doesn't know how to use the vacuum cleaner, you, who doesn't know how to do his own laundry. You, who doesn't wear socks, you, who doesn't-"

Louis shuts Harry up by kissing him straight on his talking mouth, Louis' lips brushing against Harry's teeth. Harry laughs at that and Louis just sticks his tongue out at him.

"So," Louis says after a minute of silence.

"So?" Harry asks, grinning at him.

"In your dream," Louis begins, clearing his throat going for a touchy subject, "you said you're like those birds, yeah? Like, the birdcage and all and that you want to . . be free?"

Harry narrows his eyes, nodding, "Uh-huh. What about it, Lou?"

"Well, do you see all these balloons and flowers in the room?"

Harry nods. "Yeah. They're beautiful and sweet, Lou. Thank you-"

"No, Haz. They weren't from me," Louis cuts him off. He doesn't want to take the credits for them, is the thing.

"Huh? Who were them from then?" Harry asks, his brows creasing, "Please don't tell them they are from Nick because I swear-"

"They're all from the football and cheer-leading team actually," Louis says, smiling, "And oh, Nick wanted to say he's sorry. The boy didn't mean it. Do you forgive him now?"

"Oh?" Harry muses, raising an eyebrow, "From the football team and cheering team . . You mean, Stan and the others? Tessa and the girls?" He asks incredulously, not believing it. Louis only nods his yeah. "And God, Lou. Of course, I forgive that douche. You know I don't do grudges."

"And that's why I love you," Louis tells him truthfully, standing up and kissing him on the nose. Harry smiles as he closes his eyes at that.

"Well," Harry says as he opens his eyes, sighing and loosening up, "I reckon, everybody knows about us now, yeah?"

Louis nods, biting his lip, "You're a free bird now, babe. We are. I hope you don't mind that you weren't awake when I told them it, Haz . . Well, me and Perrie did at least. She was the one who told them our story - I was too out of it at the time being because . . I was looking after you and I was so sad and I was crying and . . yeah . . ," Louis trails off, looking down.

Harry sighs and then he smiles, putting a hand underneath Louis' chin and lifting his face up. "Thank you, Lou," he tells him, "Thank you so, so much for looking after me. You're literally the best. Also, have I mentioned that I love you? Like, very much?"

Louis breaks loose and he giggles in spite himself. "Yep, you have. Countless times."

Harry nods, going for blunt all the sudden - just to ease the eeriness and seriousness of their conversation once and for all. "Great thing you know. Now, make me tea please. I missed it, babe, and besides, I shouldn't have slept for three straight days and nights without having a taste of your tea."

Louis laughs, stands up from the chair and leans in to kiss Harry on the mouth. "You goof," he tells him, shaking his head, "you wait here then. I'll make you some - I'll see what I can get in this godforsaken hospital."

As Louis turns to face the door, Harry slaps his bum and he calls. "Any tea would do! You're gold at it, babe!"

"Whatever you say, Your Highness!" Louis calls back, laughing.

 


	20. last part: things happen when you least expect it 💞

**__ **

**_Sweet Disposition_ **

**L a s t P a r t:**   _Things Happen When You Least Expect It_

💘💘💘

It's a peaceful morning once again for Perrie, the flat emptied of people from yesterday, Anne, Jay and Zayn gone home not too long ago.

Perrie wakes up for the second time today, stretches her arms above her head and stretches her fatty milky legs, her toes almost reaching the end of her queen-sized bed. Surely, her left foot reaches something at the end of her bed that seems to be resting at the edge of it and the thing falls on the ground, although it doesn't make a sound as it collides on the floor.

Perrie scrunches up her nose and thinks to herself,  _what must be it?_ Sitting slowly right up, Perrie finds herself immediately holding her temple to rub it off of throbbing pain, wincing in dizziness that's surfacing right on.

The room seems spinning when Perrie opens her eyes, her collection of Batman action figures dancing at the top of her cabinet, her school miscellaneous seem moving even if they really aren't and her bedside lamp swirling around in spite itself.

The food Perrie didn't eat at the pit of her stomach suddenly grumbles and the next thing she knows is she's already running for the loo, still holding her head and blindly reaching out for the door so it opens and she can come in. Perrie tumbles in front of the sink and she starts throwing up, letting out piles of chunks, almost 90% of what she's vomiting being cool water and the other 10% being bitter-sour pile she hasn't an iota as to what. Perrie doesn't remember eating something earlier and yet here she is, throwing up what's left in her tummy.

As Perrie finishes puking, she turns the faucet on and rinses off her mouth of the stale feeling and spits out every little vile. She takes her toothbrush from behind the mirror cabinet and puts toothpaste on it; she brushes her teeth (as if it'll make her stop from feeling like throwing up). Done in the loo, Perrie goes to the kitchen and goes straight towards the fridge. She rummages through it and settles for the milk when she spots it.

Perrie drinks straight from the box and wipes the remnants away right after. Looking up at the kitchen wall clock, Perrie sees it says 9:19 in the morning. She rolls her eyes, remembering she has class at 9:30. Well.

Proceeding to go back to her room so she can change to her uniform, Perrie realizes that the two aren't home yet and she thinks, maybe they would be spending another night in the hospital. Well, Perrie can only hope they've eaten their breakfasts by now - she doesn't want her babies starving. As Perrie stops in front of her cabinet and opens it for her uniform, the stinging feeling that's been attacking her head for quite some time now comes crawling back all the way to her head, making her wince at the occurrence. "Bollocky hoe," Perrie curses as she grits her teeth in annoyance, balancing herself by holding on the doors of her cabinet. "What the hell is happening to me? Seriously? Am I sick or something?"

Struggling to regain her crumbling composure, Perrie forces herself to dig through her messy pile of clothing and hangers to look for her skirt and blouse, bow and socks and to take them all out. Success, she wears each and one of them and just takes her time doing them, despite her being late now for school - she doesn't give two shits about it though, because all she knows is that her head is being a bitch as of the moment and that she's fighting to still go to school even if it isn't necessary anymore. Well, because now she has a reason not to go, since her head is killing her, but then again is still willing to attend. Perrie needs to pass this year, so.

Tying the bow around her collar, Perrie sits down by the edge of her bed and all the while she finally notices the thing that's fell to the ground earlier. It's the bouquet of flower Zayn gave her the other night then. She smiles, picking it up and placing it on her study desk. Perrie takes note on her mind to keep them on a flower vase filled with fresh water when she comes home later on.

Glancing at the time for the last time, Perrie hurries to wear her shoes, take her bag from the floor, and fasten her pace to leave the house, lock it and start out to the streets. She hasn't left Dusty food or anything for that matter, Perrie realizes, but she doesn't put a stop on her tracks and just continues to reach the nearest subway where she usually buys her train ticket all the way to Trinity High.

Perrie knows that Dusty is a smart cat, that she can pry any food she can get a hold with amongst their junks if she really wishes to fill her tum-tum, so it's fine.

At about 9:45, Perrie's already bought her train ticket, thankfully (she's running so late!) and now she's standing with the rest of the people inside the tube - either off to work, school or church - and she's not feeling well, which sucks. She can feel her head throbbing in pain again, is the sickish freaking thing, and she feels rather . . nauseous, her visions going wild and heated, her surroundings spinning before her once again. Breathing in deeply, she clings on to the nearest straps the tube has for her and steadies herself as she lets the movement of the entire train sway her as it goes.

"Bugger," She curses.

Perrie's never had a problem with riding a tube all her teenager life but right now, all she wants it to get out of here and step out to her destination. The situation's just making her nausea worsen.

On the third stop of the tube, Perrie hurries out not caring if she's nudging bodies as she goes, just holding onto the straps of her knapsack and stuffing her hand on one of her skirt pockets for her phone. As she walks her way toward the school gates by the pavement she's at, she fires up her phone and composes a message for Louis or Harry, asking them if they are to come home later (just so she can cook for them after an early class or something) and then she stuffs her phone right back again.

Girls in a navy blue skirt and coat with gold streaks uniform, bow-tie and laces a mixture of red and white are lurking around the school's premises when Perrie sees them as she walks along under the freedom park, tall trees hovering over her and casting shadows above her. Perrie is being eyed, that she just can tell even if she isn't acknowledging her surroundings at all. Last week, the moment Perrie's attended the Halloween party Fargo High School thrown, some sort of rumor of her dating (or was asked out by) one of the hottest jock from the said school had surfaced right away, and it didn't even last some three days or so, it only took about a day for everyone at Trinity High to know. Perrie, as of now, is one of the famous in the school because of it - because of her, dating Zayn Malik and being buddies with Louis Tomlinson. It sure was surreal, Perrie coming to school for the first time again on that Monday morning and girls rushing over to her, demanding for a gossip - whether Zayn or Louis really were either fit in person or handsome, or attractive, et cetera et cetera. Perrie will probably have her month of fame - especially in this all-girls school of her where most of the girls are interested on the players of Fargo football team (pointedly at Zayn, Louis and Greg).

Surely, Perrie did tell them a bit of a gossip - more so, half of the story - since she does love gossips too anyway, and boy did the girls squealed at the top of their lungs while hearing her talk about Malik and Tomlinson. At some point, some were jealous, envious even, but they couldn't show it - they just wouldn't - because well, it was Perrie Louise Edwards they were talking about. She just happened to play female Basketball at Trinity High, Volleyball and Track Field, so girls were either a) afraid of her b) intimidated by her or c) having a little bit too much of respect on her. So, they never dared to fight with Perrie about anything at all, in fact, they call her big sis - or for those that she was highly respected with, Perrie-Sama and Perrie-Senpai.

Perrie liked it. The respects and having to intimidate people. She somehow feels in control and it's like one of the coolest thing ever.

As Perrie reaches her homeroom, with her still clutching at her temples from time to time whenever it stings, she searches for her chair and desk and once she's found it, she literally flops down on it, slumping her bag on the floor. Jesy, her seat mate and school friend, leans over towards her and questions, "Babe, something wrong?"

Perrie grunts, nodding, "Yeah, just. A bit of a headache. I feel nauseous."

"Well, go see the school nurse then. I'll tell the nun if you want? It's just, you look extremely pale, sweetheart," Jesy says in one whoop, sounding a bit panicky and worried.

Perrie looks up to smile at Jesy. "Uhm, no thanks, Jes. I'll be okay. Thank you."

Jesy leans back down, nodding understandingly, although she still looks skeptical about it, because fuck. Perrie really does look pale. Her natural pink lips are as white as a sheet today and the bags under her eyes are more visible than the other days she isn't wearing makeup. Her hair is a complete mess and her fingernails are color gray, almost purple, and those aren't usually like that. So, Jesy leans in again and this time, she holds Perrie's hand. "Hey, seriously, Pez. Just go to the clinic - you look ill. Come on, I'll bring you."

Perrie is about to protest, but then before she can do it, their teacher nun, Sister Alice, is already walking in inside the room, stealing everyone's attention, the murmur and the buzzing of the whole class dissipating. So she and Jesy lean back to their chairs at that and look in front to pay attention to the start credits of the class.

Perrie holds onto her head again just as the nun starts greeting them with an over too bright good morning, and even without warning, Perrie finally collapses on her own, her head dropping on her desk, her hands falling to her sides, and her visions blackening.

With her voice sounding rather frantic and rushed, Jesy immediately calls on to their teacher nun as she points on Perrie and then with no more than a pulse or two, the two of them brings a lifeless-looking Perrie to the clinic at the ground floor, huffing out breaths (for she's too heavy) and telling the nurse to identify the cause of the fainting. The two of them waits there in the clinic until the results are given and another teacher nun substitutes Sister Alice just for the class to go on.

Perrie wakes up after a while, and when she does, she sees Jesy and Sister Alice sitting on the benches by the wall, looking around and looking worried about something. Sitting upright, very slowly and careful now, Perrie suddenly squints at the brightness of the room - she isn't yet sure what or which or where the hell is she even - that slams at her sights unexpectedly, in which she makes a noise. "Ow," she grunts, and then she holds her head instinctively at the same time as it suddenly throbs like a bitch, "Shit."

Sister Alice and Jesy glance at her as fast as the wind and all the sudden the two of them are suddenly in front of her. "How's your head, Pez?" Jesy asks worriedly, "Does it still hurt?"

"Do you still feel nauseous, my child?" Asks Sister Alice, her voice sounding more worried than Jesy.

Perrie puzzles, averting her gaze from Jesy to Sister Alice. "Wait, wait. What's happening? Where am I?" She croaks.

"You're in the clinic, babe," Jesy supplies for her, "I told you I should've taken you much earlier, now look what's happened. You fainted in your desk." Jesy rubs the pad of her thumb across Perrie's cheek and from worried, she's suddenly looking fond and smiley.

"Oh," Perrie breathes out. She still doesn't get what's happening right now.

"Jesy's right," Sister Alice pipes up, "Now, if I were you I will say thanks to Jesy, Perrie Lou. If it wasn't for your friend, then you would've lost something that will someday mean the world to you."

Perrie furrows her brows. "What?"

Minutely so, the nurse strides inside the room, some folder and pen in her hand, hanky and stethoscope in her pockets. "Oh, so she's awake then?" she asks brightly.

"Yes, she is," Jesy answers for their behalf.

"So, shall I tell her the news myself then or you guys have already?" The nurse asks, looking at Jesy and Sister Alice with a grin.

"What news?" Perrie asks curiously, sweats building up at the tip of her forehead, under her armpits and across her palms. Jesy and Sister Alice look at her with a smile, fondness flooding across their features and body language, their faces leaning in much closer, indicating very clearly that something is up. "Uh, guys? What news?" Perrie asks again, and this time she's coming off worried for her own sake.

Holding her each hand and squeezing gently at them in a rather synchronized motion, Sister Alice glances at Jesy with a shrug, indicating for her to speak. Perrie blinks at this weird yet suspicious act before her and just until she narrows her eyes and directs her attention towards Jesy, that Jesy finally retaliates by taking a deep breath and then, "Babes, you're pregnant."

Perrie's heart is on her mouth. The air that's circulating in inside her body, suddenly trapped in her burning lungs, her muscles constricting against her skin and her words stuck at the tip of her throat. She can't execute anything. She can't speak. She can't breathe.

"It's actually a miracle that the symptoms have shown in an early matter, young woman," the school nurse says, inching forward and patting Perrie's head. "Congratulations. You're a mum."

And as Sister Alice, Jesy and Nurse Althea smiled at Perrie on that moment, an hour ago from now, the last statement that's only ran in circles in her mind all the while was that 'You're a mum', that even now when she's only ten steps away from home, still haunting her the entire time.

So it is. Perrie now, is a mum, and she yet can't fathom it.

Weakly opening the door to the flat, Perrie is fast engulfed in an alarming group hug by Louis and Harry. Harry is back then, Perrie notes, and he looks fine now, only a bit of gauze stuck around his head, arms and legs. That's a relief.

"Oh, Pez," Louis mumbles against Perrie's neck as he and Harry pull her entirely inside the flat, Harry shutting the door behind them all and resuming to nuzzle against her other side of the neck, opposite to Louis's side of the neck. "Are you all right? Did you take the news just well?"

"We're so worried, Pez," Harry adds, "Did you cry? Are you still nauseous?  _Please_  say something."

Perrie sighs. "I'm fine, boys. Just fine."

Harry and Louis pull apart, but they don't leave Perrie wholly. "We heard you collapsed," Louis points out, looking all nothing but worried, "Did your head hurt?"

Harry nods, biting his lower lip, "Yes, yes, the school contacted us and they said you collapsed in your homeroom and the nun and one of your classmates brought you to the clinic."

"So that's what you're all worried about then?" Perrie asks, cocking an eyebrow. "Was that all that they told you both?"

Louis and Harry look at each other and Louis chews on his lower lip. "Well, no," Harry answers for the both of them, his voice small and shied, "that wasn't all."

Perrie sighs again.

"So, you're a . . mum now?" Louis asks after a moment of silence, squinting at his own overwhelming words.

Perrie snorts, rolling her eyes. "So I was told," she says sardonically, walking pass the two and coming towards the living room. She flops down on the couch and Harry and Louis do the same, inching towards her to cuddle some more.

"Are you OK then?" Harry asks just as he's settled between Perrie's right side and armpit. "You're not alarmed about it or anything?"

Perrie huffs. "Harry, I wasn't just alarmed, my whole world literally crumbled to the ground the moment the words slipped from Jesy's mouth. 'Perrie, you're pregnant.' she said oh so dramatically, and then there I was, massive eyed and open-mouthed."

Harry winces. "Sorry . ."

Perrie shuts her eyes tight and sighs for the umpteenth time. "Not your fault, Haz. Maybe I just . . needed some time to process this in. And . . well, I have to tell my mum and Zayn-"

"Right!" Louis suddenly exclaims, "Haz!"

"Hmm?" Harry mumbles sleepily, feeling rather cozy underneath Perrie.

"Zayn, Haz, Zayn. We should beat his arse for impregnating our Pezza!" Louis declares determinedly, kneeling straightly on the couch.

Harry snaps out of his sleepy state and looks over at Louis with a knowing pointed look. "You're right," he muses, nodding his head, "I knew he wouldn't do something good."

Perrie shakes her head furiously. "Wait, no," she protests, "You guys, don't do that. Please. Lou," she turns to Louis with a frown. "Don't, I'm begging."

"But,  _Pezza_!" Louis argues, "You're too young to get pregnant! He shouldn't have-"

"Louis," Perrie says in a warning tone, "don't. Zayn has nothing to do with it. I mean . . the sex. We both loved it. So really, he has nothing to do with impregnating me. Well," Perrie says, sighing, "a bit yeah, but then again, he wasn't aware that all throughout we were after all making a baby, so . . leave it. Just leave it, boys."

Louis and Harry sink down and lean back against Perrie's either side again, Louis pouting and Harry snuggling with her arm. "So, what are you going to do now? Your mum might freak out, you know," Harry mumbles.

"Harry's right," Louis chains, sighing sadly, "Also, she isn't aware that finally, you went on with a guy. She always thought you'll marry a lass one day."

"Marry?" Perrie breathes out in puzzlement, the very word lingering in her lips, at the tip of her sweet rosy tongue, her senses suddenly realizing that right, if her mum ever finds out that she is in fact, pregnant to some guy that her mother never once met, she'll surely force her to marry him - whoever that is that's given her a baby - that's given her mum a granddaughter or a grandson.

"Yeah," Harry says, barely audible, "Mummy Debbie would surely force you to marry Zayn, Pez - that bastard who's impregnated you."

Perrie stares at the telly, blinking softly as she sinks in for the second time in a minute the fact that, yeah, her mum would surely do that.

"So?" Louis presses softly.

Just then, Perrie finally answers, her voice sounding vulnerably small. "I don't know, guys, I don't really know."

In the kitchen at dinner time, Perrie's cooked everyone French cuisine namely as Tartiflette - one that she learned out of watching too much YouTube under the tag 'How To's'. Harry, Louis and Perrie eat quietly, their loud chews being the only sounds filling the room, although from time to time they casually talk and Perrie asks how Harry is doing as of now - regarding his wounds as well as if he's to drink something to make the healing fasten. Harry tells her that he was prescribed with some certain medication that Louis has to let him drink every 8 hours until his wounds completely dry off and eventually vanish.

Halfway through their meal, some startling sound suddenly erupts from the front door all the way to the living room and it makes them all look to the kitchen doorway's direction. Harry looks over to Perrie and she shrugs, mouthing, 'The hell's that?'. Harry returns the quizzical look her way. Louis stands up from his chair, saying, "I'll go check. Wait here."

Harry grabs his hand before he completely reaches the kitchen doorway, making him look back to him. "Be careful," Harry whispers, concerned written across his face, green eyes glassy, lips pursed into a hard line.

Louis nods. Harry lets go.

Just as Louis' to walk out the kitchen, an exhausted-looking and panting Zayn pushes forward the doorway, bumping with Louis' chest. The two of them falls to the ground, Louis wincing in pain or rather strong impact and Zayn just getting up to his feet and saying, sounding panicky and scared. "Perrie! Are you all right, baby? Oh my God."

Louis and Harry watch as Zayn goes rushing toward a startled Perrie and holds her hand in his', rubbing them against his face. "Z-Zayn," She stammers, all shocked and disbelieving, "What are you doing here?"

"I heard the news when I went to your school just now, baby, and as soon as Sister Alice finished talking, I hurried all the way here!" Zayn says frantically, "You collapsed she said! Are you OK? How about our baby, is she fine?"

Perrie blushes hard. "Uh . . Z-Zayn, I . ."

"Hey!" Louis shouts, trying to get Zayn's attention to somewhat scold him and be mad to him and all. Zayn doesn't budge though, all his attention just stuck to Perrie and her hands and her face and her flat stomach and her eyes and her agape mouth and just her wholeness. Louis grits his teeth in anger, ferocious about the fact that he's being fully neglected by Zayn. As Louis pushes up to his feet to grab Zayn by the neck and headlock him, Harry stands up and stops him before he does something stupid. "Haz?" He quizzes, blinking at Harry, who is now wrapping his gauze-covered arms around him. "What are you doing? Don't you want me to teach this bastard some lesson for impregnating Pezza?"

Harry shakes his head, and then he looks back to Zayn and Perrie by the table - they're looking at each other so fondly that Harry can't take it - for the last time and he looks at Louis straight in the eye, says, "Look at them, Lou," he whispers to him. Louis does look over to them and then he returns his gaze towards Harry. "Are you really willing to kick his arse when he's looking at Pezza like that? That in too deep and affectionate?"

Louis looks back at Zayn and Perrie again and indeed he sees - the look that Zayn is giving Perrie; the look that Perrie is returning to Zayn; their hands to one another; their wordless yet meaningful gaze towards each other - they're in love. And it's all real and genuine. Just like Louis to Harry and Harry to Louis. "Well," Louis breathes out, voice coming off as a murmur, "I suppose, not . ."

Harry sighs as he leans on Louis' shoulder, "Come on, Lou. Let's leave them be. They should sort out the matter themselves."

Louis, without another word, nods and just lets Harry pull him along with him and out the kitchen. Harry leans in and kisses Louis atop his head and Louis caves in, loosening up right away about the fact that Perrie's facing this rather big of a deal all by herself (or with Zayn) and not with her best mates that are him and Harry.

Perrie and Zayn take their time to sort out their very first problem as a couple, no shouting, no crying, just both normal and civilized teenagers facing a crisis and all.

At 11 in the evening, Zayn is still at their flat, refusing to go home and leave his pregnant girlfriend (he's insisted to sleep and stay over for the entire night). Harry and Louis have had a talk with him a little earlier on after he and Perrie, and they once and for all decided that they'd let Zayn take good care of Perrie - as long as he's going to marry her and raise the child with her, they pushed - because he's said so himself that he and Perrie will be visiting her family back to her hometown in South Shields to break the news to them as well as to tell them that he's wholeheartedly willing to be her husband even at a young age and is willing to take risks or consequences. Harry and Louis sure are impressed with that speech, of course (or was it, they're really just sure anyway that Zayn wouldn't hurt Perrie and that he'll make her happy) and right away, they gave him their blessing as Perrie's best mates ever and forevermore.

Such children.

A little later on, Harry and Louis sleep at ease then - after they shower before going to bed - and Perrie and Zayn stay up late, smiling fondly at each other and just talking about nothing and everything, lying next to each other in bed, cuddled up and seriously loved up.

So maybe Perrie is to deliver a child in such an early age, unexpectedly and unplanned, but at least the love of her life will raise it with her and that her best friends are always there for her. Always.

Things are still looking up.

God is on their side.

**_2 months later_ **

Louis' birthday, Christmas day and New Years' Eve have passed, Louis and Harry came home to their hometowns - actually separated for the first time ever to each other - Harry going back to Holmes Chapel to see Gemma, Anne and Robin and Louis just going to the other side of Doncaster to see his mum, Charlotte, Felicite and the twins. Louis' birthday, of course, were celebrated by him, Harry, Perrie, Jay and the girls - but after that, the rest of the holidays and events such as Christmas day to New Years' Eve, were celebrated with the three of them all back to their families.

Zayn and Perrie went to Perrie's hometown, South Shields in Tyne & Wear, for the third time in New Years' Eve to greet the year 2010 - at those times, Debbie, Alexander and Jonnie were already adjusting to the fact that Perrie even ate a lot more than usual due to pregnancy and that she was to get married sooner rather than later with her boyfriend, Zayn.

Today is the 19th of January and it's hella' cold, thick layers and layers of snow covering almost half of the houses, rooftops and front and backyards of the lots along the streets of Doncaster, and it's just about time that Zayn and Perrie come home all the way from the South, choosing the earliest of the mornings to drive downtown. The husbands have been aware of it for they've been texting back and forth about how their Holidays went, how Perrie's pregnancy was going, how Zayn was coping up, et cetera et cetra.

Harry and Louis are dressed in their uniform, all fine and ready to go to school, their marriage rings attached to their ring fingers and aren't longer stashed away for people not to see, when Perrie pushes open the door to their flat. Multiple barks of dog ring through the halls of the flat and it makes Dusty's head snap up, her guards already coating her just like a force field. Harry grins at that, already glancing at Louis with a knowing look and bouncing up and down his seat. Louis grins back at him and without a fuss, they both rush out from the kitchen, abandoning their breakfast and tea, and go forward Perrie, who is carrying a furry dog.

"Pezza!" Harry beams, lunging toward and immediately engulfing her in for a hug. "You're back! I missed you! I missed you!"

"Oh, Haz, I missed you more," Perrie croons, also wrapping an arm around Harry, patting his back, her other arm still carrying the dog. Just as when the Harry's feeling that the pup is licking on his chin that he stifles laughter and pulls away from the hug, shrieking a little at the ticklish feeling. Perrie giggles. "This is Hatchi, by the way. He'll be living with us from now on."

"Hi, little guy," Harry coos.

Louis suddenly walks forward - after admiring his best friends hugging - and comes from behind Perrie. He rests his chin over her shoulder and brushes it against the fabric of her cream-colored woolly jumper, just smiling fondly and sniffing in, tugging at the hem of her sweater and that's all. He just missed Perrie a lot. "I missed you a lot," Louis whispers to Perrie.

Perrie glances sideways to catch a little bit of Louis' face, although all she manages to see is his nose, long eyelash and left cheek. "I missed you a lot too, babe."

By the time Zayn comes inside the flat, Harry is already playing with Hatchi on the ground, ruffling the pup's fur and scratching its tummy to make it squirm and pant.

"Hey," Louis greets Zayn with a smile, "How are things, man? Is she being a diva? A naughty preggers?"

Zayn chuckles as he drops their heavy bags full of their dirty clothes and random belongings or toiletries on the ground, taking Perrie by the waist almost instantly as though it's already been an easy habit for quite some time now. "Well, yeah," Zayn says, still smiling big, "She's a bit of a diva, sure, but it's all right. It's nice. She's awesome."

Louis looks over to Harry, who is now carrying Hatchi in his arms, and Harry gives thumbs up. "Brilliant," Louis says after some time, returning his attention back to Zayn. "So uhm, have you guys eaten? We, uh, don't have anything as of the moment, see. Perrie usually cooks for all of us," Louis says sheepishly.

Perrie waves him off. "Oh, shush. It's OK, Lou. Zayn and I pulled over at Subway earlier. I've expect for this to happen after all, so."

Louis shrugs.

"Right," Harry says, standing up from the ground and letting Hatchi wander around (he just hopes Dusty won't start a fight with him). Harry moves forward and reaches to touch Perrie's small bump - is barely a bump - and says, "Lou and I have to go to school, so we'll see you two later, yeah?"

"Yeah, OK," Perrie says, hooking arms with Zayn, "And when you come back later, we'll open some presents."

"Presents," Louis repeats, nodding firmly, "right, okay."

At their spot by the tree, the big red bus drops Louis and Harry - all dressed in their uniform with massive woolly sweaters, mittens and beanies keeping them warm. As they walk along the pavement, they don't disentangle their entwined fingers and instead they walk hand in hand all the way to the school gates, sereneness flooding all over them, and until they got inside the school - where the other students see them all loved up, together and not at all closeted anymore - and into their classroom where Stan, Nick, Niall, Liam and the others who know about them are.

There's no hiding anymore.

In the middle of a lecture, the whole class start to catch up and talk about their own Holidays and such, what they received from Christmas, where they spent their New Years and what resolutions they make out for themselves. In actuality, Harry gave Louis a brand new skateboard - with the whole collectible pairs of colorful tracks and pads of sand paper in case they fade - for his 19th birthday and another one, a complete class-A tea set - that he will present to Louis later on when they come home - that he'd been saving his allowance from just to afford them all. Harry loves giving gifts, especially if it's for a person worth racking his brains out just to come up with a special something. So it is. Those are the things Harry thought that his husband would appreciate. Louis on the other hand, will give Harry a golf set, golf shirt and cap, shoes and gloves - also later on when they return back (apparently, Perrie reprimanded them of saving the giving of presents when she's came home with Zayn, but well, it didn't stop Harry for giving Louis his birthday present though, in which Louis return by giving him yet another satisfactory blowjob). Also, Louis knows just how Harry loves golf and how he's been craving to have a go again after all this time they've been inseparable - the last time they (or Harry and Louis only watched) played was back in 2008, some time in fall.

At the canteen, Niall and Liam are with Sophia and Melissa on their usual table, being the girls who're now dining with them ever since. Harry and Louis walk their way there, taking seats next to each other beside Sophia, who pecks Harry's cheek just because she thinks he's very cuddly and cute. Louis rolls his eyes at that, pang of jealousy already rushing through his guts. When Harry went back to school with the gauze all over him, almost half of the school pitied him - cared for him and started to love him, heck even Tessa and her peers that used to pick on Harry - and well, it was all overwhelming for Louis.

Despite Louis being happy for his Harry that, finally, he's being adored by their school mates now, he's still jealous over the fact that now, he isn't the only one no more that's appreciating everything about his other half, but from now on, other people too. And it's making Louis uncomfortable on some instance, because he wants Harry on his own - he loved him first, appreciated him first and well . . he's just being selfish right now. He doesn't want Harry giving his attention to others, is the thing, so.

Slipping his hand under the table, Louis grabs Harry's hand and pulls it and tucks it between his knees. Harry looks up and smiles at him, mouths, 'Hi, love.'

Louis instantaneously lights up, smiling back at Harry, mouthing back, 'You're mine.' Harry nods in promise, blushing.

Just then, Eleanor joins their circle and as if she's Santa, every single one of them smiles and greets her. "Hey! It's been a while, El! How's your Holiday been?"

"Oh, great! Just great, let me tell you."

And so another round of chattering about The Holidays erupts, everyone engaging themselves to this kind of cozy and homey topic - about families, cousins, and relatives; hometowns, siblings and childhood banters.

As the never ending topic goes on, Harry leans in to level Louis' ear and he whispers, "You know, boo, Niall here always wanted to join the footie team. Since it's nearly graduation, why don't you ask him to join? I've seen him play and he's really good. He's fast."

Louis nods and smiles at Harry. And it's a sign of settlement; Louis will surely engage Niall into a one on one, footie player to footie player kind of talk later on after school. Louis likes Niall for his funny and lively aura, something he reminds him of his carefree side and it's enough to make him feel at ease being around Harry's group of friends. Same with Liam. He's this too-nice-for-his-own-good kind of guy, this flowers-and-chocolates-over-cars-and-parties kind of lover, and Louis thinks Harry has perfect mates. Don't get Louis wrong though, Stan, Greg, Ted, Josh and Zayn are just as perfect as Niall and Liam - and then there is Eleanor.

And of course, Perrie. Harry and Louis surely pick the right friends.

As if on cue, Stan and their other footie mates join their table too, pushing another set of table with chairs to add up to the circle. Stan nods at Harry and Louis, smiling big and giddy, and then they all converse to the topic about Zayn being a father now this time, in which Eleanor and Melissa light up to the choice of topic. They always loved babies, so . .

Niall blushes when Melissa nudges him by accident, making him tense up in his seat while she goes on about wanting to have at least 3 babies after getting married to the right one - Louis doesn't know if it's just him or that he's actually saw the hopeful facial expression across Melissa's face when she looked down at her and Niall's interlocked fingers over the table.

Well then.

"Hi, guys!" Someone beams behind them all. They spin around to see who it is. "I see you're having a bit of a huddled chat without me, huh?"

"Hey, Nick," Eleanor greets happily.

"How's your Holiday vacation been?" Liam asks politely - apparently, he doesn't think Nick is a douche bag no more (or maybe just a little).

"It was fantastic!" Nick chirps, taking a seat next to Harry, pushing in between him and Sophia. Louis rolls his eyes. "Oh, hey there, Haz," Nick greets Harry with a bat of his eyelashes. And yeah, ever since he's confessed to him that night of the accident and ever since Harry's recovered, Nick started flirting scandalously with him - like, he's all over the place all the bloody time he's meeting Harry somewhere or just anywhere really. Even in the loos - well, especially in the loos.

Harry smiles politely at him. "Hello," he drawls, with his voice all deep and raspy.

Of course, hearing that, Nick swoons, and until he lets out some sort of sound that seems to be groan . . or moan, that Louis retaliates.

"What the fuck, Nick? Seriously, man. Back off," Louis guffaws at him, putting an arm around Harry's shoulder and pulling him in his arm, semi-out of Nick's reach.

Nick whimpers, running a hand across his face. "Sorry, alright? I can't help it!"

Eleanor, Sophia and Melissa giggle to their seats, watching the commotion. Stan and the other lads snort. "Back off, Nick," Greg says, shaking his head.

"Yeah, seriously. Harry is fucking married to Lou, mate. He's tied up to the lad - for his entire life, man. There's just no way Harry would go for you," Chains Ted with a sympathetic laugh. He doesn't mean the insult though, 's just . . yeah.

Nick pouts, grumbling words, "But Harry's just so adorable,  _see_. His curls, his stupid dimples, his massive eyes, those lips that even when chapped, still looked pretty, and well, just . . ugh."

Harry looks up to see Louis' reaction to this. Louis just shrugs, smugly smiling and silently thinking that, fuck, Harry's pathetically perfect and he belongs to him, all of him. Harry's all his' and not for other people to have. What a life, Louis thinks.

"Hey. Are you all right?" Harry asks Louis in a hushed tone after quite some time when everybody isn't paying much attention to the both of them anymore - the kind of tone he uses that sounded like a promise, his sort of sweet disposition that only he and Louis fully know about, memorize about and is used to always having in a daily kind of basis.

Louis nods, nuzzles his nose against Harry's milky skin just right there at the crook of his neck and breathes him right in. "I am, Haz, as long as you are," he tells him softly, fondly and truthfully.

Harry smiles as he closes his eyes, humming softly near Louis' right ear, feeling some sort of warmth settling at the pit of his chest and feeling butterflies fly in the depths of his stomach. "Well, I totes am," he tells Louis, "because I'm so close like this with my boo bear, inside our school and just, it's a really lovely experience, you know? One of the best. Ever."

Louis snorts, and then laughs. "That nickname again, Haz. I swear if I hear that again, I'm not going to give you your present later. Also, no first time sex with you in our room before bed."

Harry stiffens from his spot and then he looks up to pout at Louis. "Not fair."

Louis laughs, ruffling Harry's curls. Harry catches his hand and he entwines their fingers together, their marriage rings looking all so shiny and legit in their ring fingers, flashing before them. The sight makes Louis sigh dreamily. He's so damn in love it's making him struggle to breathe.

Just then, minutely so Louis asks, not having the chance to think twice first before letting the kinky question slip out of his legal mouth. "Who will top between us though?"

Harry blushes. "I don't know. Can we just decide later?"

Louis nods, blushing too. "Yeah. Good idea."

Smiling again with his mind temporarily clearing off of all the filthy thoughts about what he's going to do with Louis under their blankets later at night, Harry leans in and kisses Louis on the mouth, soft and wet, and until Louis' starting to slip in his tongue inside Harry's mouth . . that Nick clears his throat, making them break apart, a little panting and mostly blushing.

"Oh God, you two," Eleanor groans, shaking her head, "How many times should I have to tell you off about getting a fucking room? Hmm?"

"Oh, leave them be, Calder," Stan pipes in, laughing.

"Nope, I agree with Eleanor. I'm cross about them snogging in public too," Nick says in a clipped tone, folding his arms against his chest and huffing playfully.

Melly giggles, leaning in against Niall's shoulder and admiring Harry and Louis across her. "I have to agree with Lucas, guys, sorry. I just think that they're really perfect. Harry and Louis snogging in public is an ace."

"Yup, yup!" Sophia chirps, "I agree with her. Sorry, El, Grimmy."

Eleanor rolls her eyes when Louis stuck his tongue out at her. After all this time, they're still goofy and teasing to each other, apparently.

Just as everyone get drawn to their own conversation with the others, underneath the table Louis feels Harry's fingers tightening against his, making him smile.

And right on this moment, no one is around but them, nothing matters but them. No one's going to stop them from now on - until they graduate, until they're in Uni for college, until they're working, until they're raising their very own children together and until their hairs turn gray - no one. No one is going, to ever, ever, stop them from loving each other, from being happy with one another and from being committed and married to the other. Forever.

**_Fin ~_ **

**\----------**

**14 Songs to help remind us about this story:**

_1\. Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap_

_2\. Read All About It III - Emeli Sande_

_3\. Uncover - Zara Larsson_

_4\. Stay - Miley Cyrus_

_5\. Sunlight - Plain White T's_

_6\. Don't Let Me Go - Harry Styles_

_7\. They Don't Know About Us - One Direction_

_8\. Nothing's Gonna Change My Love - Westlife_

_9\. Wouldn't It Be Nice - The Beach Boys_

_10\. Paperweight - Joshua Radin & Shuyler Fisk_

_11\. Angels - The XX_

_12\. Penguin - Christina Perri_

_13\. Beautiful Soul - Jesse McCartney_

_14\. Save My Heart - Jason Reeves_

playlist link - [http://8tracks.com/octobertwo/in-too-deep](https://8tracks.com/octobertwo/in-too-deep#)

 **comment your thoughts guys! :) i love reading them.** ♥♥♥

**Author's Note:**

> feedback is always good :D thanks so much for reading through!


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